The Murder of Kristie Marks

Written By Kiley Baumgartner

For this case, I watched an episode of Snapped. It’s season 9 episode 16.

A 58-year-old mother and businesswoman is killed.

Background

Kristie Marks, and her husband Bruce, adopted a baby girl named Taylor, when she was just an infant. The three of them lived in New Jersey, until Bruce tragically passed away in 2002.

Kristie and Taylor then moved to Akron, Ohio, where Kristie opened a home healthcare business. She and Taylor lived in a nice neighborhood, and Taylor was known for getting everything she wanted.

Kristie was described as a wonderful businesswoman, and as a devoted, and loving mom.

Kristie Marks

The Wrong Crowd

In 2004, when Taylor started high school, she became more rebellious. She struggled with her studies, and there was a mention of her having a learning disability.

Taylor didn’t have the best reputation in school. She floated from relationship to relationship, and was called some not so nice names.

In 2008, Taylor graduated, but didn’t have a plan for what to do in life. Taylor began dating a 21-year-old named Brian Smith, who lived in the North Hill housing projects of Akron. Taylor eventually moved in with Brian, and his mom Tammy, after Kristie banned Brian from her home.

Kristie gave Taylor an ultimatum: to either go to school or get a job, or be cut off. Taylor agreed, and enrolled in the University of Akron, but only lasted a semester.

Kristie didn’t cut Taylor off, and was constantly dropping off items she needed. Kristie hoped Taylor would return home one day soon.

Taylor Marks

The 911 Call

On Saturday, October 24, 2009, Taylor called 911, around 8pm.

She told the dispatcher that her mom had been stabbed, and said “he came out of nowhere, and pushed her to the ground.” The ‘he’ Taylor was referring to was an unknown attacker.

When the police arrived, Kristie was lying on the ground outside of the housing complex. She had been stabbed 16 times, and succumbed to her injuries on the way to the hospital.

The police spoke to Taylor, Brian, Brian’s mom, Tammy, and Brian’s friend, Troy Purdie, who had all witnessed the attack.

Taylor told the police that she had called her mom, wanting to come home. Kristie came to pick her up, and was attacked while Brian was walking them to the car.

Brian said he fought the attacker off Kristie, but that the attacker had cut his finger. He chased after him, but had an asthma attack, so he called for Troy to run after him. The witnesses told the police that the attacker was a black male, and that he had worn a red bandana over his face.

A Random Attack?

The police searched the neighborhood. Kristie’s purse was found with her credit cards, and cash still inside. A bloody knife was found in some bushes, and the police found a red bandana.

The police began to believe that Taylor, Troy, and Brian were more involved than they were letting on. There was no sign of a robbery. The attacker didn’t attack anyone else besides Kristie, and Brian didn't have severe injuries, despite the attacker turning the knife on him.

The witnesses were brought down to the police station, and were told that it was just for formal interviews and to take their DNA.

Brian and Troy’s stories stayed the same, but Taylor changed hers when the police told her that they believed she had orchestrated her mom’s murder.

Taylor told the police that Troy had killed her mom because she was a racist. The police didn’t believe that.

Troy’s Story

After Taylor claimed that Troy was the killer, the police brought him back into the interrogation room.

Troy confessed, and said that it wasn’t about race, but about money. He said he would be paid $5,000 by Taylor, if he killed her mom. He also said Brian was in on the plot too.

Troy was arrested, and Brian was questioned again. When the police told him that Troy said he was involved, he tried to act surprised about the plot. He then said that the conversation about Kristie’s death came up several times. Brian said he had watched Troy kill Kristie, and that the cut on his finger was from earlier that day from an unrelated incident. Brian was arrested.

When it was Taylor’s turn, she claimed she didn’t want her mom to die. She also claimed that she didn’t have $5,000 to hand out. Taylor was also arrested.

All three “witnesses” were in custody by Sunday, October 25. The murder had also been caught on the housing complex surveillance footage. While it was blurry, Troy can be seen pushing Kristie over, and stabbing her. Taylor can be seen just watching it happen.

The Convictions

Taylor never confessed, but many of her friends admitted that she had talked about wanting to hire a hitman. One friend even said that Taylor told them she’d give them Kristie’s house if they had her mom run over with a car.

On November 5, the prosecution announced that they were seeking the death penalty against Taylor and Troy. All three accomplices sat in jail for 9 months awaiting trial.

In August 2010, Troy was offered a plea deal of life without parole, and he accepted.

Brian Smith was also sentenced to life without parole.

On August 16, 2010, Taylor met with the police, after contacting them, wanting to talk. She told the police that she admitted to being part of the planning to kill her mom, but she said Brian was the “brains of the operation.” Taylor admitted that she was angry with her mom, but not angry enough to have her killed. She said she begged Troy to stop stabbing her mom, but he didn’t listen. She also asked if she would be offered a plea deal.

The plea deal was up to the prosecution, and up to Kristie’s family.

On September 29, 2010, Taylor Marks pleaded guilty to aggravated murder. She was sentenced to life without parole.

Brian, Taylor, and Troy

Kiley Baumgartner
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