HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) – New details have been revealed in the case involving an ex-Marine accused of murdering his fiancé in Henrico County.
A judge was presented with new evidence this week about what allegedly led up to a mother’s murder in September in western Henrico.
According to the medical examiner, 28-year-old Samantha O'Quin was stabbed and strangled before police said her body was dumped outside her King's Crossing Townhomes.
Her alleged killer, Blake Bryant, told investigators that his fiancée was allegedly having multiple affairs via text messages -- and was using drugs.
Kevin Purnell , Bryant's attorney, confirmed that his client told investigators that the couple had argued. Bryant claims O'Quin grabbed a steak knife before the pair struggled over the knife.
In the autopsy report, the medical examiner described seven stab wounds to various parts of her body, five of them on her right hand. The report also showed that O’Quin suffered a fatal stab wound to the neck and was strangled.
The autopsy also revealed O'Quin’s body was wrapped in a shower curtain and then sealed with duct tape at her waist and ankles.
Purnell said his client left the house on the morning before she was murdered, but the returned a few hours later to do daily chores, which included taking the couple's 1-year-old daughter to the doctor.
Police said it was some 15 hours later when O'Quin's body was discovered and Bryant admitted to investigators that he dumped her body in the woods.
CBS 6 Legal Analyst Todd Stone, who is not involved in the case, said the defense will have a hard time proving it was an accident.
"The only question remains as to whether he had the intent to kill this young lady and that's something the Medical Examiner is going to testify to and if there's strangulation and multiple stab wounds that goes along way for prosecutors in helping to prove there's intent,” said Stone.
The judge certified the first-degree murder charge against Bryant, who is being held without bond.
A trial date could be set when Bryant appears in court this week.
