As the years rolled by,
Mark had become increasingly controlling over his wife. Anne felt trapped in
the marriage and was looking for a way out.
Mark had been married to
local fifth-grade teacher Anne, 52, for 32 years. They lived in Virginia, and
had three grown-up children.
According to Mirror UK,
before her death, Anne, 52, had reconnected with a high-school sweetheart
online and rekindled their romance. Chris Crowley lived in California, but they
messaged constantly and Anne was planning to end things with her husband to be
with him.
Unfortunately, Mark knew
about her plans. He’d grown suspicious and started to follow her everywhere. He
didn’t want his wife to leave him.
On March 7, 2000, her
online flame, Chris, called the police in a panic to say he hadn’t heard from Anne
and he was worried. She’d told Chris she was going to tell Mark their marriage
was over. So where was she?
Not long afterwards, at
around 1pm, Mark ran to a neighbour’s house shouting for help. He said he’d
come home and found Anne’s lifeless body – he thought she’d choked on some food
so he’d performed the Heimlich manoeuvre.
Frantic neighbours Robert
and Melissa Frederick raced over and found Anne’s body on the floor. She was
cold to the touch, but Mark was sitting on her chest and slapping her face in
an attempt to revive her. When Robert tried to help, Mark refused to step away.
Even when paramedics
arrived, Mark was huddled around Anne, restricting their access. But they
determined there was nothing they could do and Anne was pronounced dead.
After her death, police
discovered Anne’s diary at her home,
"I am in love for the first time in 33
years," it read. "I feel compelled to check my mail… I am having the
time of my life."
But an autopsy said Anne
had choked on food – probably a piece of chicken because some was found in her
stomach. Her death was deemed accidental.
Straight away, relations
between Mark and his children grew strained.
The years went by and Mark
remarried. His children filed a wrongful death lawsuit against their dad,
alleging that he drugged, beat and choked Anne, then stood by as she died. It
was dismissed, but Mark agreed on a settlement without admitting any guilt.
It took 12 years before the case was reopened
and a new autopsy was ordered – done through a re-examination of the paperwork,
pictures and evidence.
This time, a medical
examiner said Anne had been suffocated in a homicidal manner. There was
significant bruising to her arms, pelvic area, head, face and chest, as well as
lacerations on her face.
In 2013, Mark was charged
with murder.
At the trial this year at
Montgomery County Courthouse, Mark, now 70, confirmed that he knew Anne was
planning to leave him and that she was sleeping in the spare room. His
daughters testified against him.
Mark was found guilty of voluntary
manslaughter and Anne’s family sobbed with relief.
But there was a final
twist. As Mark was led away, court officials were heard yelling, "Drop it,
drop it." Suddenly, the courtroom was evacuated.
After a few hours, it was
revealed that Mark Faville had died from a self-inflicted wound.
It was never disclosed just
how Mark killed himself – to protect court security and so others couldn’t
follow his example. Courtroom staff aren’t allowed to carry guns, and x-ray machines
screen for metal objects. All that was revealed was that he’d died from a
laceration from a ‘non-metallic’ object.
Daily Mirror
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