Former Marine to stand trial on murder charges
The Palm Springs, (Calif.) Desert Sun
Posted : Wednesday Sep 3, 2008 5:58:26 EDT

A former Marine who was found unconscious from a drug overdose after allegedly strangling his ex-girlfriend in her Murrieta apartment must stand trial on murder and other charges, a judge ruled today.

Wade Griffin, 39, also faces an attempted rape charge and special circumstance allegations of lying-in-wait and murder during the commission of an attempted rape, which could lead to life in prison without parole if he’s convicted.

The District Attorney’s Office announced last month it would not be seeking the death penalty against Griffin.

After a daylong preliminary hearing, Riverside County Superior Court Judge F. Paul Dickerson ruled there was enough evidence to order Griffin to stand trial and set a Sept. 11 arraignment date.

The 34-year-old victim, Ever Council, was found dead and Griffin unconscious in her blood-splattered apartment on March 19, 2007.

Griffin was in a coma from ingesting pills, in what authorities characterized as a failed suicide attempt.

Council’s new boyfriend, an active-duty Camp Pendleton Marine, was talking to her that morning when the cell phone call was abruptly cut off. He heard Council say, “Oh my God,” then sounds of a struggle, before the phone went dead, said Murrieta police Sgt. Jim Ganley.

The Marine, who had been dating the victim for several weeks, immediately drove from Camp Pendleton in Oceanside to her apartment. When he did not see Council’s vehicle and got no response at her door, he drove to her workplace, the sergeant said.

When he didn’t see her car at the Wells Fargo bank branch in Menifee where she was a loan officer, he drove back to her apartment and got the manager to open the door, Ganley said.

Among those testifying for the prosecution was a friend of Griffin’s, who spoke with the defendant a few times the morning of the murder.

According to the friend, Griffin mentioned he was planning to go to Council’s home to get an apology for some sort of perceived slight, Deputy District Attorney Brandon Smith said outside court.

Bones in Council’s face were broken from being punched a number of times before she was strangled, the prosecutor said.

Ellie