JACKSONVILLE — A Camp Lejeune Marine and his girlfriend have been accused of shooting his wife in Alabama.
Marquis Cheatham, 23, of Front Street in Montgomery, Ala., and Dominique Atkinson, 21, of Goldleaf Drive in Hampstead, were arrested Friday by the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office on a warrant from authorities in Montgomery, Ala. charging them with one count of capital murder during robbery in the Monday shooting death of Ashley McCarthy, in Montgomery.
Cheatham and Atkinson are accused of shooting Ashley McCarthy and stealing her car at approximately 6:56 a.m. Monday, according to warrants.
According to Montgomery County probate records, Ashley McCarthy married Marquis Cheatham on Dec. 2, 2011.
According to the Montgomery Advertiser, Marquis Cheatham was taken into custody late Wednesday by military police aboard Camp Lejeune.
Both Marquis Cheatham and Atkinson are being held without bond and await extradition to Montgomery.
Atkinson was identified as Marquis Cheatham’s girlfriend and, upon further investigation, detectives connected Atkinson and Marquis Cheatham to the fatal shooting, Montgomery police told the Montgomery Advertiser.
Police and fire medics found Ashley Cheatham with a gunshot wound about 7 a.m. Monday, according to area media reports. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities told area media that the shooting appears to have stemmed from an ongoing argument between Marquis Cheatham and Ashley Cheatham.
Marquis Cheatham and Atkinson are scheduled for a first court appearance today.
