Slaying suspect returned from deployment in Japan

Matthew Toerner, a 20year-old Seabee named as a suspect in the Dec. 1 shooting death of John Marmo, was brought back Sun., Dec. 17 by Navy officials from Okinawa, Japan, where Toerner’s battalion has been deployed since Dec. 3.

Police said Toerner was arrested without incident and is being held at the Main Jail in Ventura on murder charges. According to court records, Toerner is not eligible for bail and awaits a Jan. 17 court date.

Toerner was one of three suspects arrested in connection with the murder of Marmo, who was found shot to death around 6 a.m. outside the condominium he rented in a quiet Mission Oaks neighborhood.

Police also arrested as suspects in the shooting Marmo’s 26yearold exwife, Rebecca Brasswell, and her friend, Shannon Butler, 23.

In addition, Seth Hardy, a 20-year-old man from Riley, Kans., was arrested by police for allegedly setting two homemade bombs—one on Oct. 14, the other on Oct. 28—in a pair of earlier attempts on Marmo’s life.

All four suspects are Seabees from the Ventura County Naval Base in Port Hueneme.

At the time of his death, Marmo and Braswell had been involved in a bitter, two-year custody battle over their 4yearold daughter.

A month before he was shot, Marmo had been granted joint custody.

Capt. Ron Nelson with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department said detectives are still actively investigating the slaying and that police don’t expect to make any additional arrests in connection with the Marmo case.

— Daniel Wolowicz