FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—Dec. 9, 2014

            The Brevard County Grand Jury issued a first-degree murder indictment against Marcus Antonio Royal, 34, in the death of Michael Fallon who was 55-years-old when Royal attacked him and Ethalya Jones in March of 2013. Jones, an 80-year-old widow, died in that attack.

            Fallon went to Jones’ Cocoa home to ride to church with her on Sunday morning, March 17, 2013. Royal had broken into the woman’s house and killed her. Royal was leaving the house as Fallon came in to check on Jones. Royal severely injured him before fleeing. Fallon was hospitalized for an extended period of time, was in and out of care facilities, but never recovered from the attack. Fallon died on Aug. 9, 2014, said Assistant State Attorney Michael Hunt, who presented the case to the Grand Jury.

            The Grand Jury heard testimony from the Brevard County Medical Examiner, a Brevard County Sheriff’s Office crime scene investigator, and a Cocoa Police Department detective before returning the indictment.

            The indictment now brings the total first-degree murder charges Royal faces to three. He has additional burglary and assault charges and is currently serving a term of life in prison for violating his probation on a 1993 rape. He was 14 years old when he committed that crime. Royal served 14 years of a 27-year sentence for the 1993 rape and was released on probation in 2011.

            Royal is currently in the Brevard County Jail and is scheduled to be arraigned on the new charge tomorrow (Dec. 10).

ATTENTION: News releases from the two previous indictments are attached.