(Stillwater, Okla.) — A Stillwater man charged with first-degree murder in the near-decapitation of a 19-year-old man was a “religious zealot” of the Christian faith and a “heavy drug user,” the victim’s brother told police, according to an affidavit filed Thursday.
Isaiah Zoar Marin, 21, was arraigned Thursday from the Payne County Jail where he was ordered held without bail in the Wednesday slaying of Jacob Crockett at the victim’s apartment on the west side of Stillwater.
Samuel Marin, who lived with Jacob and Jesse Crockett, told police “in the past Jacob and Isaiah had disagreements because Jacob and Jesse were practicing witchcraft and Isaiah had strong Christian beliefs,” an affidavit alleged.
Samuel Marin said that he and his brother “were playing a card game and Jacob (the victim) was in the room with them,” an affidavit by Stillwater Police Detective Sgt. Jeff Watts alleged.
“Samuel stated Isaiah (the defendant) had been watching YouTube videos related to his Christian beliefs and the Book of Matthew.
“Samuel stated while he and Isaiah were playing a card game, Isaiah picked up a large black sword and removed it from a sheath.
“Samuel stated Isaiah stood up and began swinging the sword around. Samuel told Isaiah to be careful or he was going to cut someone.
“Samuel stated Isaiah told him, ‘I would never cut you bro.’ Samuel said he was holding some of the game cards in one hand and texting with his other hand.
“Samuel stated he heard a noise described as the sound of someone getting stabbed. He stated he looked up and saw Jacob stand up and blood gushing from his chest.
“Samuel stated Isaiah was still holding the sword,” the affidavit alleged.
“Samuel stated he immediately fled the apartment. He said Isaiah was following him and trying to calm him down.
“Samuel said Isaiah stated he would explain why he killed Jacob from letters he would write while he was in prison,” the affidavit alleged.
“Samuel stated Isaiah told him, he (Isaiah) was going to call the police. Samuel followed Isaiah back to the apartment so he could gather some things and leave.
“Samuel stated once he arrived back at the apartment, he noticed additional stab and cut wounds to Jacob. Samuel said he gathered some clothing and his phone and departed the scene,” the affidavit alleged.
At 2:46 p.m. on Wednesday, a Stillwater police dispatcher received a 911 call from a cell phone in which the caller said he was at the car lot near El Vaquero, the affidavit alleged.
“The caller then advised, ‘I murdered someone.’ The caller began rambling about sacrificing and magic,” the affidavit alleged.
“Senior dispatcher Lisa Murrell took over the phone call and began trying to obtain additional information from the caller,” while sending two officers to the area of Janzen Toyota at 4900 W. 6th Avenue, the affidavit said.
Asked his name by the dispatcher, the caller identified himself as Isaiah Marin, the affidavit alleged.
“Dispatcher Murrell asked Isaiah how he murdered someone. Isaiah stated ‘I hacked them to death with a machete,"” the affidavit alleged. He said the victim was an apartment complex, the affidavit alleged.
About three minutes into the initial 911 call, a dispatcher received an additional 911 call from a Janzen’s Toyota employee who said a man was walking from the front of the business toward Highway 51, which is Sixth Avenue, the affidavit alleged.
The caller said the man “was covered in blood and carrying a machete,” while walking west on Highway 51, the affidavit alleged.
When Stillwater Police Officer Paul Blankinship arrived, “Isaiah began running westbound with a knife in his hand,” which he dropped and laid on the ground, the affidavit alleged.
“Officer Hiner assisted Officer Blankinship with detaining Isaiah at gunpoint,” while he was handcuffed by Detective Royce Stephens, who asked where he was coming from, the affidavit alleged.
“Isaiah told Detective Stephens apartment #6 behind El Vaquero,” the affidavit alleged.
When police arrived at the apartment complex at the corner of 5th Avenue and Oakdale Street and located apartment 6, “Detective Elliot observed what he believed to be blood smears on the door knob of the residence,” the affidavit alleged.
“Detectives Elliott, Stephens and Officer Stanbery entered the unlocked apartment. The officers observed blood on the stairwell, which leads to the kitchen of the upstairs apartment,” the affidavit said.
“As the officers began the ascent up the stairs, they observed the blood-covered body of a male lying on the kitchen floor at the top of the stairs,” with what appeared to be multiple deep slash and stab wounds, the affidavit said.
The victim’s head was mostly severed from his body, the affidavit said.
While the detective sergeant was at the scene, Jesse Crockett arrived at the apartment where he said he lives with his brother, Jacob Crockett, and his friend, Samuel Marin, the affidavit said.
“Jesse stated he received a call from Samuel at 2:50 p.m.,” in which “Samuel told him that Samuel’s brother, Isaiah, had stabbed Jacob,” the affidavit alleged.
“Jesse stated he believed Samuel was fabricating the story. Jesse stated he was at an orthodondist’s appointment in Edmond,” when he got the call, the affidavit said.
“Jesse stated he observed the police units as he was returning to his apartment,” the affidavit said.
Isaiah Marin was arrested at 3:04 p.m. on Wednesday at 5200 W. 6th Avenue in Stillwater, the affidavit said.
The defendant has been given court-appointed attorneys Royce Hobbs of Stillwater and Sarah Kennedy of Perry to represent him on the first-degree murder charge on which he was ordered to appear in court Dec. 1.
The victim is the son of an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper, but that relationship has not been shown in any way to be a motive, Stillwater Police Captain Randy Dickerson said in a press release.
First-degree murder carries a penalty on conviction of life in prison, life without parole or death.
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