Lizzi Marriott Murderer Mazzaglia Guilty of Plotting Prison Escape Involving Boat, Explosives
Seth Mazzaglia, who is serving life in prison for killing UNH student Elizabeth “Lizzi’’ Marriott, was in court again Friday, where he pleaded guilty to attempted prison escape charges.
The elaborate escape plan – that involved guns, getaway cars, explosives and a boat – was developed by Mazzaglia as he sat in Strafford County Jail awaiting trial in the fall of 2012.
Mazzaglia, now 32, strangled and raped Marriott, 19, in October 2012 after she refused to engage in “bondage sex’’ with him. Mazzaglia’s then-girlfriend, Katherine McDonough – who was Marriott’s coworker at Target – provided 10 days of graphic testimony against him.
McDonough said she lured Marriott to the couple’s apartment as an offering for the sexually demanding Mazzaglia. McDonough also told a jury that she and Mazzaglia dumped the body into the ocean. Marriott’s remains were never found.
In August, a jury convicted Mazzaglia of first degree murder by strangulation, another count of first degree murder in connection with a felonious sexual assault, and two counts of conspiracy. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
McDonough, Mazzaglia’s co-conspirator and girlfriend, is serving a one-and-a-half to three year sentence for conspiracy, hindering prosecution, and witness tampering.
Mazzaglia’s plan to escape from prison in 2012 involved cellmate Ryan Bachman, WCVB reports.
According to Bachman’s testimony during Mazzaglia’s trial in June, Mazzaglia wanted him to get guns, two getaway cars, small explosives to blow doors open, and “some kind of boat’’ that could transport Mazzaglia and McDonough to a country that has no extradition laws.
Mazzaglia gave him access to his bank account, which Bachman was to withdraw funds from once he was released. Bachman was instructed to then use that money to buy drugs to sell in order to raise yet more funds for the escape.
Bachman apparently did use the money to buy drugs – for himself, according to WCVB.
Deciding not to fight the attempted escape charges, Mazzaglia was sentenced to three-and-a-half to seven years in prison, on top of his life sentence, during his hearing Friday.
Mazzaglia is appealing his murder conviction.
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