Arraignment of four Marines rescheduled in Winchester double homicide case

10:00 PM PST on Thursday, November 6, 2008

By TAMMY J. McCOY
The Press-Enterprise

The arraignment of four U.S. Marines charged with the execution-style shooting deaths of a fellow Marine and his wife was rescheduled Thursday, allowing time to arrange for court-appointed lawyers.

Their next court hearing is scheduled for Nov. 20 at the Southwest Justice Center in French Valley.

Lance Cpl. Tyrone Miller, 20, Lance Cpl. Emrys Justin John, 18, Pvt. Kevin Darnell Cox, 20, and Lance Cpl. Kesaun K. Sykes, 21, are charged with two counts of murder, committing multiple murders and murder committed during a robbery.

The defendants are accused of the October slayings of Sgt. Jan Pietrzak, 24, and his wife, Quiana Jenkins-Pietrzak, 26, of Winchester.

The couple's bodies were found Oct. 15 tied and gagged inside their Bermuda Street home. Each had been shot in the back of the head.

"There was evidence linking all of them to this crime," prosecutor Daniel DeLimon said outside the courtroom. "Mr. John is charged as the shooter."

The men also are charged with an enhancement of sexually assaulting Jenkins-Pietrzak.

They could face the death penalty or life in prison without parole if convicted as charged.

Reach Tammy J. McCoy at 951-375-3729 or tmccoy@PE.com