Former WS resident guilty in murder

Fagan -- a 1994 graduate of Columbia High School -- was given the verdict on Sept. 30.

"Fagan was found guilty and jailed for life," said Chris Summers of the BBC. "He will serve a minimum of 26 years in jail."

Testimony in the case revealed that Marlow went to her London office on a Saturday to catch up on her work and discovered Fagan, a former employee, stealing laptop computers.

Fagan had worked for Research Now as a Web production manager for about a year before being fired in April 2006. Court reports indicated that Fagan was bankrupt and desperate for money after being dismissed from the firm.

In testimony before the Central Criminal Court of London, Fagan admitted to stealing six laptop computers and tying Marlow up after she discovered him in her office, but he denied he killed her. In a unanimous decision, the jury found otherwise.

A pathologist testified in court that Marlow was "strangled with a scarf" and had also suffered head injuries from being beaten "over the head with a blunt object."

After the verdict, the judge told Fagan that he had caused "untold anguish."

"This was a terrible attack and you must take responsibility for your actions," Judge Brian Barker said.

Marlow had struggled with her attacker, and DNA evidence found under Marlow's fingernails, as well as footage from closed-circuit security cameras, linked Fagan to the crime.

The jury unanimously agreed on the verdict after about four and a half hours of deliberation.