Blind man allegedly killed his former teacher

June 11, 2008 06:35 PM Email| Comments (0)| Text size – +

By Maria Cramer and James Vaznis, Globe Staff

A 26-year-old blind man from Brighton pleaded not guilty today to a murder charge in the slaying of a woman who once taught him at a school for the blind.

Luis Marquez

Luis Marquez was arraigned in Brighton District Court in the death of Terri Werner, 56, of Middleborough, who prosecutors said was found Tuesday at his apartment with multiple stab wounds and injuries to her chest and head.

Werner was an art teacher at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown. Marquez had been her student, sources said. Marquez was now working at the school fixing Braille machines, his brother, Jose, said.

Prosecutor Jennifer Hickman said that when officers were summoned to his apartment on Nonantum Street Tuesday, Marquez told them, "I killed somebody."

Hickman did not elaborate on their relationship or why Marquez allegedly attacked her. Marquez was ordered held without bail.

Earlier, Jose Marquez, who is Luis Marquez's twin, told the Globe that his sibling had recently stopped taking his medication for depression and bipolar disorder.

Jose Marquez said he and his brother were both born blind in one eye because of complications during birth. Luis Marquez had gone completely blind but remained independent, Jose Marquez said.

Jose Marquez did not say why his brother stopped taking his medication. He said his brother became anxious when off his drugs, but had never been violent.

"Either he was going to do something to himself or he was going to do something to someone else," Jose Marquez said.

As Luis Marquez was led away by court officers after his arraignment, his brother called out, "Love you buddy. ... Love you, man."

At about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, police arrived at Nonantum Street, in the Oak Square neighborhood of single- and multi-family houses. Neighbors said Marquez was standing across the street from his home when police arrived.

"He was fairly talkative to the cops," said Jean Woods, a neighbor. She said that after a while, police "handcuffed him, and there was no resistance."

Neighbors described Marquez as well-mannered and said they had never had problems with him. They said they occasionally saw him walking a German shepherd named Zion.

"Face Mask"

Marquez appears to have been an outstanding student at Perkins, according to several Globe reports. In October 1994, Marquez received a business card from George H.W. Bush at a school event.

Later on, while at the school, Marquez made a mask that was shown at an art festival in October 2001 and was photographed for a Globe article. The article reported that Werner had worked on the festival.

Marquez also participated in a special program between Perkins and a public school in Burlington, which paired visually impaired students with those who could see. That program enabled Marquez to hit a softball while a Burlington student helped him run to first base.