Incredibly sad article: Vallejo man on trial for torching two boys in attack on ex

[Speedy]

Sentencing for Mark will be announced at 11:15 am California time.... about 20 minutes from now. I'll be here to update as soon as my SIL calls me.

[Speedy]

SIL just called.


Life without possibility of parole.

I'm numb. I know I didn't want the death penalty per ce, but for some reason I am not happy with this either.

[Speedy]

Duh, here's the link to the verdict and a wrap-up.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl.../BAAQTQ8E3.DTL



Jury backs life without parole for man who torched 2 children
Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer

Monday, December 10, 2007



(12-10) 12:04 PST MARTINEZ - A Vallejo man should be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murdering his ex-girlfriend's two children by setting them on fire while driving on an East Bay freeway in 2003, a jury decided today.

The ex-girlfriend, the target of Mark Anthony Fregia's attack, was badly burned but survived.

The Contra Costa County jury had the option of recommending that Fregia, 39, be sentenced to death for the first-degree murders of Erin Weaver's daughter, 6-year-old Devlin Weaver, and the couple's son, Daelin Fregia, 2. The panel deliberated for about a day in Martinez after a weeklong penalty phase in Fregia's trial.

On Dec. 3, the same jury found Fregia guilty of first-degree murder for killing Devlin and Daelin. The panel found Fregia not guilty of attempting to murder Weaver, instead convicting him of a lesser charge of attempted voluntary manslaughter.

Jurors also convicted Fregia of arson, kidnapping, aggravated mayhem, carjacking and allegations that he caused great bodily injury to Weaver.

Superior Court Judge Mary Ann O'Malley will formally sentence Fregia on Feb. 8.

"It's tough, but yes, I'm satisfied with the verdict - as long as he never gets out and does this to anyone else again," said Loralyn Johnson, a relative of Weaver's family through marriage.

Weaver was permanently disfigured when Fregia set her ablaze in what authorities said was a jealous rage over her new relationship with another man. She testified during the trial but declined to comment Monday.

Deputy Public Defender David Headley, Fregia's attorney, told jurors that his client, a crack-cocaine abuser, had never intended to kill anyone and simply had wanted to scare Weaver.

The attack happened Dec. 18, 2003, after Fregia invited Weaver and the children to accompany him as he bought toys for Christmas, prosecutors said.

Witnesses told police they saw Fregia and Weaver fighting, and Fregia's Dodge Colt violently swerving, before the car pulled off westbound Interstate 80 near Pinole. The car was swerving because Fregia was splashing gasoline on Weaver from a soda bottle that he had asked one of the children to get for him from underneath a car seat, prosecutor Paul Graves said.

Fregia set Weaver ablaze with two lighters, and the fire spread to the car, authorities said. Weaver, then 28, was burned over 80 percent of her body as she yanked the steering wheel, turning the car onto the Appian Way off-ramp.

Motorists saw Weaver jump from the Colt, scream, "My babies!" and try to extinguish the flames engulfing her, while chasing the burning car as it rolled down an embankment.

Fregia carjacked a motorist and was arrested the next day in San Francisco.


E-mail Henry K. Lee at hlee@sfchronicle.com.

[razorbackbelle0]

I'm glad he got life without parole. Because what the inmates in prison will do to him will be worse than death.

(((((((Major hugs to you Speedy)))))))

[Speedy]

Thanks Razorback!

Word has it, I haven't confirmed it yet, that Erin ran out of the courtroom when it was announced. I think now she wanted him to die, but I also don't think she understands just how hard life w/o is going to be for him.

I'm still kind of numb... one week from now it'll have been four years since this all happened, and it's like life always meant dealing with courts, testifying, SOMETHING. Now we have to get back to living a regular life somehow. I know I can, but Erin... she will forever see what he did.

[Speedy]

Erin did run out of the courtroom. On another site, I spoke with one of the jurors, and I was right, they didn't reccomend the death penalty because although he DID cause the kid's death, there was no way to prove he INTENDED to kill them. Had Erin died, it would have been cut and dried, then he would have been guilty of first degree murder for her too, and given death.

I feel for the jurors alot... they cried over this, over Erin's pain, the kids' death, the whole injustice of it all, but they could not give him the death penalty because of intent.

As I said before, and my SIL explained to Erin, Mark will spend the next 40-50 years looking behind his back, hoping some lifer with nothing to lose doesn't shank him. He's a coward, any man who beats on women are cowards, and a real man will show him the error of his ways.

His sentencing is Feb. 8th, 2008. While the jury has reccomended life w/o the possibility of parole, the Judge has the final say. I know SHE will go ahead with the jurys' recc. though. I'm really sure of it.

Thanks again to everyone who posted here, or even just read the story and thought about our family. You all helped me alot this last month.

[riffraff]

((((Hugs))))

[Speedy]

Thank you RiffRaff, I needed that just now!

[Odette]

(((Speedy)))

I'm glad it's all finally over...my best to you and your family.

[Speedy]

Thank you ImaSad, we are also glad it's over. WHY they are waiting until the 8th of Febuary to formally sentence him is beyond me, it's been four years already. I plan on being at the sentencing... I want him to go to prison with our disgust eveident.

[BagAngel]

Speedy, glad that this is now almost over. Pity they didn't get the sentencing done sooner. I hope you will all find closure soon.
I can understand the mixed feelings over the recommendations, all that pent up pain & anger of the last four years, Poor Erin probably doesn't know what it would take to satisfy that! Nothing can ever compensate for the shocking loss of her beautiful children!
It will be hard for you to be at the sentencing but if you need to be there & show your disgust that is understandable! I just hope it will being closure & peace for you all!
& remember even the most hardened criminals hate child killers, I cannot see him having an easy time in gaol! He might be begging for that needle before it's all over for him!

Look after you now!!! {{hugs}}

[wordbox]

^ Well said! That man is not going to have a good time in prison, to say the least. I also hope the sentencing helps bring peace and closure. It is getting closer.

Speedy, my thoughts are with you and your family.

[Megs]

Speedy, I am really late on the sentencing... but I wanted to say that any man that has hurt children is seen as complete scum in the prison hierarchy. He should have a horrible time there. I am glad he has been brought to justice.

[Speedy]

Originally Posted by Megs

Speedy, I am really late on the sentencing... but I wanted to say that any man that has hurt children is seen as complete scum in the prison hierarchy. He should have a horrible time there. I am glad he has been brought to justice.

I understand Megs! You got your hands full with all 96000 members!!

I noted somewhere a few pages back that yeah, life without parole was going to be a lot harder on him than the DP... and word has it he WILL be in Gen Pop... so I think he'll be spending a lot of time looking over his shoulder.

Bag Angel sent me a couple of scarves for Erin in a package she sent me this week, I got them yesterday. I know Erin will love them, the worse of the scarring now that people can see is her neck. But she's doing wonderful.

She's schedualed to go on the Montel Williams Show this spring to tell her story when he highlights Domestic Violence. I also understand she's going back to school to become a DV counselor. Out of the ashes she rises, undaunted and stronger than ever!!

He's to be formally sentenced on Feb. 8th. I'm not sure if I am going, I don't travel well for any real distance right now, but DH will be there, as well as the rest of the family.

Abd I've said it before, but it bears repeating, I found tPF because of this article... if I had to lose Daelin and Devlin and deal with what happened to Erin, at least I found you guys and you've all done so much for me to make my life easier.

MUCH love and hugs to ALL!

[chloe-babe]

Hugs to you Speedy, I too only discovered your thread at the last minute.

I know you still all have one last difficult Feb date to get past and then you and your lovely family can try to begin to put this awful man and this awful time behind you.