Suspect arrested at church takes deal

Kim Smith

Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2002 | 11:11 a.m.

A Las Vegas man who walked into church three weeks ago and confessed he killed his wife has agreed to spend the next 40 years in prison for his crime.

Deputy Public Defender Will Ewing said this morning that his client, Frank Marques, will plead guilty in District Court to first-degree murder with use of a deadly weapon for the Aug. 7 shooting death of his wife, Candace Weckhorst, 35.

Marques, 43, will receive a life sentence with parole possible after 40 years, Ewing said.

The news of the plea agreement came just as Justice of the Peace Douglas Smith was to begin Marques' preliminary hearing.

"He had a strong desire to get the matter resolved," Ewing said. "He says all of the time that he wants his wife to find peace and he wants to get the matter behind him."

The Rev. Bill Kenny said Marques came to an early morning Mass at Christ the King Catholic Church at Torrey Pines Drive and Tropicana Avenue on Aug. 8.

"He knelt in front of me and said, 'Father, I need your blessing,' " said Kenny, a 58-year-old priest who has been at the church for 24 years. "I put my hand on his head and blessed him. He then said, 'Father, I murdered my wife.' "

Kenny said he watched Marques as he pulled up his shirt, showing a gun he said was used in the crime.

Kenny finished the Mass and then called police.