Sumter Judge loses patience with accused murderer representing self

SUMTER COUNTY, Fla.,None — A bizarre murder trial in Sumter County raised more eyebrows on Friday.

Bill Marquardt, who's representing himself, is accused of killing two women. Just before the state rested it's case Friday the judge yelled at Marquardt.

Bill Marquardt claims he's trying to prove his alibi.

But Judge William Hallman accused the defendant of doing such a poor job that what Marquardt really wants is an appeal.

"Don't shake your head 'no,'  because that's what you're doing, okay?  An attorney won't be shaking their head 'no' when they're being addressed by a judge. So don't be doing that. Stop!" Judge William Hallman said to Maruqardt.

The Wisconsin man is accused of shooting and stabbing Margarita Ruiz and Esperanza Wells to death in their Tarrytown cottage on March 15th, 2000. Though he was pulled out of mental hospital to stand trial, doctors ruled him competent to represent himself.  But his lack of legal training continues to trigger trouble.

"I object, your honor.  I don't understand the question," Marquardt said at one point during the trial Friday.

"Judge, I could really care less whether he understands it," prosecutor Pete Magrino responded.

Prosecutors showed the jury Marquardt's knife and clothes. Wisconsin DNA  expert John Ertl examined blood stains on those items.

Ertl testified the DNA in the blood was 80 sextillion times more likely to have come from Marquardt and the two victims than any other three people on the entire planet. That's 80 plus 21 zeros.  Many times more than the current population of the earth, which is six billion.

Despite those odds the defendant insists he was not in Florida at the time of the murders and he plans to call witnesses to prove it.

The trial will continue on Monday.

Marquardt faces a possible death sentence if convicted.

WFTV