RIVERSIDE, Calif., May 30 (UPI) -- Three former U.S. Marines tortured and killed a fellow Marine and his wife for pleasure, a California prosecutor told jurors in closing arguments.
Prosecutor Daniel DeLimon said the defendants were "Marines by day, criminals by night," The Press-Enterprise newspaper in Riverside, Calif., reported.
Tyrone Miller, 25; Emrys John, 23; and Kevin Cox, 25, could face the death penalty if convicted on charges of murder, burglary, robbery and sexual assault.
They are being tried in the deaths of Sgt. Jan Pietrzak, 24, and his wife, Quiana Jenkins-Pietrzak, 26, in their home on Oct. 15, 2008.
DeLimon told jurors the defendants committed the crimes partly for profit but also for "the enjoyment of the entire experience."
Cox's attorney, Ryan Markson, argued his client had only a minor role but went along out of fear of the other defendants.
Markson said Miller had a motive to kill Pietrzak because the sergeant had threatened Miller's potential promotion to corporal.
The trial began in April. Closing arguments began Wednesday in Cox's case, and a second jury was expected to hear closing arguments Thursday for Miller and John.
