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Man convicted in rape, murder of college student

By WTOP Staff

LYNNE TUOHY
Associated Press

DOVER, N.H. (AP) — A jury on Friday convicted a 31-year-old man of killing and raping a University of New Hampshire college student following a trial filled with lurid details of sexual domination, experimentation and violence.

The jury in Strafford Superior Court found Seth Mazzaglia guilty of first-degree murder in the death of 19-year-old Elizabeth “Lizzi” Marriott of Westborough, Massachusetts, in October 2012.

The key witness, 20-year-old Kathryn McDonough, was Mazzaglia’s girlfriend when she lured Marriott to their apartment. She testified that Mazzaglia wanted another woman to join their sexual escapades, which included bondage and discipline.

McDonough first told investigators that Marriott died during rough sex between the two women that involved restraints. After getting immunity from prosecution, McDonough changed her story and said Mazzaglia strangled Marriott then raped her. After Marriott was dead, Mazzaglia and McDonough dumped her body in river. It has never been found.

Mazzaglia was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder that stated he strangled Marriott “before, after or while” sexually assaulting her. He also was convicted of conspiracy to falsify evidence and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses.

Mazzaglia showed no emotion as the verdict was read. He was led from the courtroom in handcuffs.

He will be sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole.

Marriott’s father, Bob, said the family is grateful for the verdict but that even a life sentence will never soothe their grief. Marriott gave a police officer a bear hug after the verdicts were read.

“We will always miss her and we wonder what could have been,” Marriott said, his voice quavering. “In fact, the trial has been torturous for us. The truth of what happened to Lizzi is horrendous. And every time it’s been told, it has reinforced the despair that we feel.”

Marriott said the verdict will keep a dangerous man off the streets and protect other women.

He also had harsh words for Mazzaglia’s lawyers for what he called intentionally misstating his daughter’s action the night she died.

“Blaming a victim who is unable to defend herself is a typical ploy used by defense teams. If you are dead, you cannot correct a mischaracterization,” he said.

Mazzaglia’s lawyers did not comment after the verdict.

Jurors began deliberating Thursday, after hearing 19 days of testimony. McDonough was on the stand for 10 of those days.

The trial hinged on McDonough’s credibility. Mazzaglia did not testify.

McDonough initially told investigators that she killed Marriott during consensual sex but later said she made that story because she loved Mazzaglia, thought they still had a future together and wanted to protect him.

Defense lawyers, though, painted her as an opportunistic liar who killed Marriott then changed her story when she found out she could cut a deal and get less time in prison if she pinned the crime on her ex-boyfriend.

The deal was conditioned on her testifying truthfully and juror Maria Clifford said the panel thought she did.

“The main thoughts were that she was a pathological liar most of her life and up until she took that witness stand, her life had been based upon lie after lie after lie,” said Clifford, 52. “I think Mr. Mazzaglia had control over her and she was afraid of him. We just thought, ‘She’s on the witness stand now and she doesn’t have anything left to lose,’ and she came to the realization that ‘I need to do the right thing.'”

Clifford said she approached the trial as if Mazzaglia was one of own family members.

“Everybody deserves a fair trial, no matter what they did,” she said.

In court, McDonough testified that Mazzaglia was the sexually dominant partner in their relationship and became angry when she left for nearly two weeks at theater camp without recruiting a sex partner for him. As what she called punishment, Mazzaglia told her to lure a woman — Marriott — to the apartment on Oct. 9, 2012.

After a game of strip poker which prosecutors say Marriott willingly joined, Mazzaglia suggested she kiss McDonough. Marriott said no, saying she was in a committed relationship. Mazzaglia then asked if she would watch as he and McDonough had sex. She again said no.

Prosecutors said the domineering Mazzaglia was unaccustomed to being rejected so, as the two women watched a movie, he sneaked up behind Marriott and choked her with a rope. McDonough testified that she left the room briefly and when she returned, found Mazzaglia raping Marriott’s limp body.

Mazzaglia’s lawyers said McDonough, who pleaded guilty to hindering prosecution and is spending 1 ½ to 3 years in prison, was interested in experimenting with women and initiated the sexual activity that night in the apartment she shared with Mazzaglia.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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