Trenton man charged with killing his ex-girlfriend pleads guilty to unrelated weapons charge
William Marshall pleaded guilty to weapons charges. He is also charged in the killing of Ruschell Fireall. TRENTON — A city man who faces charges of murdering his ex-girlfriend has pleaded guilty to an unrelated weapons charge.
William Marshall, 44, pleaded guilty this week to a weapons charge from an incident in 2011, Assistant Prosecutor Tim Ward said.
Officer Matthew Czajkowski told the court that he responded to a call describing a man with a gun and saw Marshall hop a wall behind a house on New Willow Street. Marshall tried to hide something in the ground and the officer later found a gun in that spot, Czajkowski said.
Just before jury selection for a trial was to began, Marshall pleaded guilty. He faces five to 20 years in prison without a chance for parole when sentenced later this year.
Marshall has been separately charged for a November incident in which he allegedly rammed his ex-girlfriend Ruschell Fireall’s car on Pennington Avenue and shot her to death in front of her mother when she got out of the vehicle to confront him. Marshall had previously threatened to kill Fireall and she was trying to flee the city with her mother when Marshall rammed the car, prosecutors said.
After the shooting Marshall allegedly fled to a house in Atlanta. Federal agents tracked him there, subdued him with a stun gun when he tried to flee and arrested him after a struggle, authorities said.
Marshall has denied all the charges related to the murder. He could face life in prison if convicted of murder.
He has prior convictions related to a burglary and the 1986 shooting of local boxer Bryant Brannon. Marshall served more than 10 years in prison for the shooting, and months after he was released, shot Brannon again, ending his boxing career.
Contact Brendan McGrath at (609) 989-5731 or at bmcgrath@njtimes.com.
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