Sex offender pleads no contest in 2014 rape, murder of Willits woman

A Vacaville man will be sent to prison for the 2014 Halloween rape and murder of a popular Willits dance instructor.

Terrell Marshall, 46, a convicted sex offender, on Friday pleaded no contest to the murder of Kayla Chesser, 27, during the commission of a forcible rape at a Willits residence, according to Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office spokesman Mike Geniella. The plea has the same practical effect as a guilty plea, he said.

Marshall also admitted to a prior strike conviction, doubling his prison time, Geniella said. Marshall will be sentenced to 50 years to life in prison at his sentencing, scheduled for July 6, Geniella said.

Marshall was set to go to trial Monday for raping Chesser and strangling her to death.

The two had never met prior to the fatal Halloween encounter, according to court testimony in the preliminary hearing held last year.

Chesser, dressed as a cat, had been partying with friends at a Willits home and the Brooktrails lodge. She became overly intoxicated and unable to walk while at the lodge and was taken back to the home, according to testimony during the hearing.

She was left alone for a period of time. When her friends returned, Marshall, the cousin of a woman who lived there, was at the home, according to testimony. They saw that Chesser was naked from the waist down and suspected Marshall had done something sexual to the woman, but did not realize she had otherwise been harmed until after he left, telling them: “She was game. She was game.”

Soon after, the friends realized the situation was more serious than they’d thought and called 911. Efforts to revive Chesser were unsuccessful.

Chesser’s mother could not be reached Friday evening for comment on the plea agreement.

Geniella said the District Attorney’s Office believes the family is satisfied with the plea agreement and “grateful the ugly details don’t have to be relived during trial.”

Marshall likely will spend the rest of his life in prison, Geniella said. Marshall stipulated both to a 50-year sentence and to waiving his appellate rights, he said. Had Marshall been found guilty at trial, he could have received life without the possibility of parole.

“Same outcome,” Geniella said.

You can reach Staff Writer Glenda Anderson at 462-6473 or glenda.anderson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MendoReporter