3 slaying suspects plead not guilty
Fourth Seabee connected to murder to be arraigned next month

Rebecca Braswell and Shannon Butler both pleaded not guilty last week to murder charges in connection with the shooting death of John Marmo in front of his Camarillo condominium on Dec. 1, court records show.

On Wednesday, Matthew Gerald Toerner, a 20-year-old resident of Laguna Hills, Calif., also pleaded not guilty to murder charges in connection with the early morning shooting, according to court records.

Braswell and Butler are expected back in the Ventura County Superior Court on Jan 17. Toerner is due back in court Feb. 13 for a preliminary hearing.

Braswell, 26, and Butler, a 23-year-old Sparks, Nev. resident, were friends who both served as Seabees at the Ventura County Naval Base.

Also arrested in connection with Marmo's murder was Seth Hardy, 20, of Riley, Kan. Hardy was arrested Dec. 5 on charges of attempted murder and use of an explosive to injure or destroy in two earlier alleged attempts on Marmo's life.

According to investigators, Marmo discovered two homemade bombs in October 2006 that police suspect were planted by Hardy in an attempt to kill Marmo.

Hardy is scheduled to be arraigned in court on Feb. 5. He and Toerner also served as Seabees at the nearby base.

Braswell, nearly five months pregnant with their daughter, married Marmo while the two were serving in the Navy and stationed in Sicily in 2001.

Soon after they returned to California in 2004, the couple filed for divorce.

The two were involved in a lengthy custody battle over their 4-year-old daughter at the time of the shooting.

A month before he was shot, which would have been the couple's fifth wedding anniversary, Marmo had been granted joint custody.

- Daniel Wolowicz