Jury Begins Deliberating Fate of Man in La Mesa Slaying 25 Years Ago

After hearing closing arguments, a jury began deliberating Tuesday afternoon in the trial of a man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend's mother in her La Mesa home 25 years ago.  

Marc Exter Jernigan, 44, is allegedly linked to the fatal stabbing of June George on Aug. 8, 1986, through DNA evidence. He faces 26 years to life in prison if convicted.

Jurors in the El Cajon courtroom of Judge Herbert Exarhos began their deliberations in the midafternoon.

Witnesses testified at an earlier hearing that the victim disapproved of the defendant dating her then-19-year-old daughter, Kathy Keller.

The couple broke up about a month before George was stabbed 78 times.   

George’s body was found by her daughter in the kitchen of their home in the 8800 block of Mariposa Street.   

At the time, Keller described Jernigan as “All-American” and “perfect” and said she could not imagine him killing her mother, said Deputy District Attorney Jill Schall.   

Jernigan was arrested in February 2006 after La Mesa police reopened the case and tests matched his DNA to blood found on a bathroom towel at the crime scene, according to the prosecutor.   

The defendant’s blood also was found on a bedspread, George’s purse and her eyeglass case, according to the District Attorney’s Office.   

Defense attorney Christopher Plourd told the jury that Jernigan’s DNA was found in the 47-year-old victim’s home because he was over there having sex with Keller all the time.   

Plourd said problems existed with the evidence, asserting that DNA samples were contaminated and mixed up.

City News Service contributed to this report.