Client brings dead body to Fort Myers law office

Published: Updated:

FORT MYERS, Fla. – 8:44 AM Thursday Update: WINK spoke with Robert Harris Thursday morning. He said his client was treated and released from the hospital for his injuries. He says his client, John Marshall, is not in custody. He says all evidence points to self defense.

LCSO has not officially cleared Marshall of any wrongdoing. They have not commented further on the state of their investigation.

LCSO has not released the name of the victim.

Friends of the victim tells WINK News Thursday morning, they believe he was murdered.

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Lee County Attorney Robert Harris tells WINK News, it was around 5 p.m. Wednesday, when a client of his, 52-year-old John Marshall, walked through the front door, looking disheveled.

Marshall told him, he had just shot and killed a neighbor in self-defense. Harris called 911, after Marshall says he had the man’s body in his truck.

Harris says Marshall cooperated with police from the beginning. Around 9 p.m. Wednesday night, they took Marshall’s clothes his DNA and checked for gunshot residue.

“The guy had threatened him in the past and then came out and ostensibly said he was sorry for threatening him in the past, and pulled a gun on him and pistol-whipped him,” said Harris.

According to Harris, while Marshall and his neighbor wrestled for the gun, he shot and killed the man. Marshall then drove all the way to Harris’ office in downtown Fort Myers, 26 miles away, with the body of his neighbor covered in the back of his pickup truck.

“He said the only thing he could think of, was he could trust his attorney and so he wanted to be with his attorney when the police were notified,” said Harris.

Harris says Marshall showed up with two broken thumbs, and knocked out teeth.

“He’s breathing heavy, he’s a little incoherent, he’s in shock, he’s sweating, he’s dirty, he’s filthy, he’s injured, he looks to be a person who’s in distress in my opinion it looks like a self-defense case,” said Harris.

The killing allegedly happened in Bokeelia on Hodges Drive.

“I am just absolutely devastated,” said neighbor Jill Hammer.

Lately, Hammer says, her neighbor felt very threatened by Marshall.

“He said ‘I think I have a lunatic for a neighbor,’ I don’t know if he used that word, but somebody very not right in the head,” said Hammer.

Neighbors tells WINK News, Marshall planned to build on a cleared lot he just bought on Hodges Drive.

Neighbors say the two fought about Marshall covering tortoise holes and a portable toilet on the property.
According to Harris, Marshall said he had previously felt threatened the man.

But Hammer says  her deceased neighbor is not violent at all.

“He would never have started a confrontation, he would have turned and walked away,” she said.

WINK News also stopped by a house in Cape Coral where neighbors say Marshall just moved out.

“He was always real standoffish every time I talked to him, he wasn’t very warm or friendly,” said neighbor Chris Wodynski.

One neighbor, who didn’t want to be identified, even recognized the truck Marshall used to drive the victim’s body to Fort Myers.

“I said to my husband that looks like the guy two doors down, that is that truck we have been watching,” said the neighbor.

 

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