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Man gets life for killing, raping college student

By WTOP Staff

LYNNE TUOHY
Associated Press

DOVER, N.H. (AP) — The photograph of a beaming Elizabeth “Lizzi” Marriott was taken on Mother’s Day 2011, a frog she rescued from the family’s pool cupped in her hand. A year and a half later, Seth Mazzaglia raped her, killed her and threw her body in a river after she rebuffed his sexual advances.

Mazzaglia was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without chance of parole after more than a dozen of Marriott’s family members and friends tearfully and angrily lamented what he took from them.

Her father, Robert Marriott, walked around the courtroom holding aloft an enlarged version of his daughter’s picture for all to see, a smaller version of which was used at trial. Marriott said it underscored the melancholy he felt that such a joyful memory became part of the legacy of a “horrible” trial.

“I wish that good would triumph over evil, but you are proof beyond any doubt how untrue that is,” Bob Marriott told Mazzaglia.

Some family members replayed the agonizing months and hours since Marriott’s disappearance, while others recalled the quality of her life before she was killed on Oct. 9, 2012, at age 19.

The aspiring marine biologist from Westborough, Massachusetts, had started her sophomore year at the University of New Hampshire only five weeks earlier. She had befriended Mazzaglia’s girlfriend, Kathryn McDonough, at a local department store where they both worked. McDonough, the key witness at trial, testified that Mazzaglia, 31, demanded she lure Marriott to their apartment as a sexual offering for her domineering boyfriend.

McDonough said after Marriott twice rejected his sexual advances, Mazzaglia looped a rope over her head from behind and strangled her until she was unconscious. McDonough said he then raped Marriott’s motionless body as he yelled expletives at her.

Marriot’s mother, Melissa Marriott, told Mazzaglia before the sentence was announced, “I want you to know that I unequivocally hate you.”

She continued in a firm voice: “You are a cowardly, despicable person. You stole our smart, vivacious, beautiful daughter from us. You murdered Lizzi, raped her lifeless body and then threw her away because Lizzi had the self-confidence and the self-esteem to say no to you.”

An uncle, Tony Hanna, called Mazzaglia “a twisted individual who brought only darkness and pain into this world.”

Mazzaglia spoke briefly.

“I did not rape and murder Elizabeth Marriott,” he said. “However, I do understand the Marriott family’s pain and I did play a part in covering up her death, a mistake I tried to correct when investigators came to me and I showed them exactly where I left Lizzi’s body. Unfortunately, they were unable to recover her and for that I am truly sorry. My heart goes out to the Marriot family and I am very sorry for their loss.”

During a brief recess before he was sentenced, Mazzaglia’s mother, Heather Mazzaglia, asked if she could speak with the Marriotts. She went into a conference room and gave Bob Marriott an extended hug while sobbing. She gave him a folded note and told an Associated Press reporter upon exiting that she told him “only that I’m sorry.” She also hugged Elizabeth’s brother, Robert Marriott Jr., who went with his father into the room.

Later, clutching a red Bible to her chest, she spoke privately with Melissa Marriott, who would not reveal what was said.

At least eight of the jurors who convicted Mazzaglia also were in attendance.

McDonough initially told investigators that Marriott died while the two women were engaged in consensual rough sex. Granted immunity from prosecution, she later changed her story.

McDonough is serving 1 1/2 to 3 years in prison for hindering prosecution and witness tampering.

Bob Marriott said after court that he has conflicting feelings about McDonough.

“I have a lot of reason to very much dislike her and her involvement in what happened to my daughter,” he said. “I also have a lot of sympathy for the situation she was in and what she was put through by that person we just sent to jail.”

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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