Accused Fresno killer reveals autobiography

Associated Press/April 18, 2004

Fresno -- A man accused of killing nine of his children wrote a book about his life -- a life prosecutors have argued included polygamy, incest and abuse of his children.

In a letter he sent to the Fresno Bee this week, Marcus Wesson talked about the book, titled "In the Night, of the Light, for the Dark," and gave the paper permission to look into it.

Wesson said in his disjointed letter he had sent the book to Vantage Press, a New York publishing company whose editors passed it up saying it was unintelligible.

A printed and a handwritten copy of the book were kept in the yellow school bus that had been parked outside the Wesson family home, the letter said. The bus was towed after Wesson's arrest.

Wesson's attorney, Pete Jones, said he hadn't seen the book. Fresno County District Attorney Elizabeth Egan would not comment on whether the book would be used as evidence in the case.

Wesson has been charged with killing eight children and one adult on March 12 in his Fresno home. All the victims are believed to be his children. He has also been charged with rape and molestation of girls under 14 who lived with him.