On a late summer day in 2017, the life of 31-year-old Brittany Marshall of Drasco, Arkansas, was tragically cut short. On August 31, 2017, her body was discovered by law enforcement in the bed of a truck at a business in Batesville. An investigation was immediately launched, and it was determined that she was the victim of a homicide. The cause of her death was a single gunshot wound to her head.
Investigators quickly focused on Brittany's husband, Terry Dale Marshall Jr., who was 31
years old at the time. Evidence found at the couple's home in Drasco indicated that the murder had taken place there. Terry Marshall Jr. was taken into custody, and on September 1, 2017, he was formally charged with first-degree murder in connection with his wife's death.
The subsequent legal proceedings revealed a disturbing narrative. During his trial, Terry Marshall Jr. did not deny killing his wife but claimed a defense of mental disease or defect. He asserted that he was living in a 'digital world' and believed his wife was a 'computer' or a 'clone.' According to his testimony, he was watching a movie with Brittany and their two sons on the night of the murder when characters in the film supposedly instructed him to 'put the subject down.' He recounted moving closer to his pistol, checking to ensure it was loaded, and then fatally shooting his wife.
After the shooting, Terry Marshall Jr. wrapped his wife's body in sheets and netting and placed her in the back of his truck. He then drove to his parents' house with one of their sons. It was there that his father discovered Brittany's body and alerted the police. In an interview with law enforcement following his arrest, he claimed that he had 'snapped' and that the person in his truck was not his wife but a clone.
Despite his claims of living in a delusional state, a psychologist who evaluated him testified that he believed Terry Marshall Jr. was feigning or exaggerating his mental health symptoms. The jury ultimately rejected his insanity defense, finding him guilty of first-degree murder. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife, Brittany Marshall.
