CANTON ‒ A Canton man is facing a potential sentence of 32 years to life in prison for killing Garry Marx Jr. and committing related crimes.
A jury on Wednesday found 22-year-old Jamaari Harper guilty of murder, felonious assault and aggravated robbery after a three-day trial before Stark County Common Pleas Judge Kristin G. Farmer. The panel of six men and six women also decided that Harper, of Canton, used a gun in the crimes.
Harper shot Marx as Marx was in the process of taking his laundry to his car, which was parked at his fiancee’s house in the 900 block of Dueber Avenue SW in Canton early on the morning of Feb. 6, said Dennis Barr, chief of the criminal division of the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office. Barr said Marx had spent the weekend at the woman’s home, and was planning to take his laundry home before going to work.
What happened to Garry Marx Jr.?
In his closing argument to the jury, Barr said Harper was going to look for things to steal in the victim’s car when Marx interrupted him. He played videos that he said showed Harper leaving his home at 4:44 a.m. on the morning of the murder, and returning at 5:03 a.m.
Police were called to the property where the shooting occurred around 5 a.m. The area is a block from Harper’s home.
“He didn’t go out that night with murder on his heart,” Barr said, but shot Marx when he was discovered.
Marx, an Alliance-area resident, died from a gunshot wound to the neck.
Jamari Harper’s defense
Defense attorney Kenneth Frame told jurors in his closing argument that no witness testified about seeing Harper shoot Marx.
He said no DNA or blood from Marx was found on Harper, and no DNA from Harper was found at the scene.
He said evidence that Harper’s DNA was on his gun was not meaningful, since the owner’s DNA would be expected on his gun. He discounted the value of gunshot residue being found on Harper’s hands, citing expert testimony that a person could get residue from being near a gun that was fired, or handling something that had gunshot residue on it.
Barr said Harper admitted to police that the .40-caliber Glock used in the shooting was his. Barr said a spent cartridge found at the murder scene was determined by a criminalist to have been fired from that gun. He also said Harper initially identified himself to police using his brother’s name.
Barr said Harper jumped from a second-floor window when the Canton SWAT Team, along with detectives, executed a search warrant at his home.
“Innocent people don’t jump out of second-floor windows,” Barr said.
The leap was captured by a nearby police camera.
Harper was caught a few minutes later by a police dog and his handler.
Stark County Prosecutor Kyle L. Stone handled the case with Barr.
“As the Stark County Prosecuting Attorney, it was an honor to pursue justice on behalf of Garry Marx, Jr. alongside our Criminal Chief Dennis Barr.” Stone said in a press release. “It is our goal, that here in Stark County, anyone that takes a life will be held accountable for their actions.”
Marx was remembered in his obituary as a man who “always had a grin on his face and a heart of gold.”
Feb. 6, 2023: ‘I’m losing him.’ Man shot in neck dies, Canton police dog nabs fleeing suspect
Reach Nancy at 330-580-8382 or nancy.molnar@cantonrep.com.
On X, formerly known as Twitter: @nmolnarTR
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