Grain Valley teen to plead guilty

The Grain Valley teenager set to go on trial Aug. 4 for the killing of his mother, Pamela Marquez, is expected to plead guilty under the terms of a plea agreement Monday, according to Mary Jacobi, public information officer for the 16th Judicial Circuit Court.

Taylor Marquez is a suspected accomplice of Eddie George, who earlier this month was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of Pamela Marquez and the assault of her husband, Joe Marquez.  He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Pamela Marquez was stabbed to death on July 15, 2006, at her home in Grain Valley. Taylor Marquez and George were friends and spent a lot of time at the Marquez home, according to previous testimony.

In George’s trial, the prosecution said George tried to cut Joe Marquez’s throat in the basement of the home. Following a struggle, Joe Marquez seized the butcher knife from George, who then ran upstairs, grabbed a steak knife and stabbed Pamela Marquez seven times until she was dead.

Taylor Marquez faces the same charges as George, including first-degree murder, one count of armed criminal action, one count of assault and another count of armed criminal action.

Jacobi said she is unaware of the terms of the plea agreement.

Taylor Marquez' guilty plea will be heard 9 a.m. Monday by Jackson County Circuit Court Judge W. Stephen Nixon.