Woman convicted of murder for fatally stabbing Marcia Wilson in 2021

SPRINGFIELD — A Hampden County jury found that Brenda Mayhew killed a friend who took her in amid a mental health crisis.

Mayhew was found guilty of three counts, including first-degree murder, Wednesday afternoon. Jurors deliberated for about eight hours over two days.

Mayhew, then 54, was a guest at Marcia Wilson's home on Fox Street in Palmer on a snowy night on February 8, 2021. Mayhew called Wilson for help that night as snow covered the area and that the Wilsons were unable to drive Mayhew safely to his house.

The next morning, Mayhew stabbed Marcia Wilson 11 times with a large military-style knife in Wilson's kitchen, according to testimony heard during the three-week trial. Witnesses said Mayhew was behaving erratically and seemed paranoid, believing people were following her and threatening to kill her dog.

Mayhew's dog was also found dead at the home when police responded.

Mayhew's defense team tried to cast doubt on the prosecution's theory – arguing that Marcia's husband David Wilson killed his wife over an argument over smoking a cigarette outside without a shirt on a frigid winter morning.

Defense attorney John P. Morris told jurors during closing arguments Monday that his client also was injured by stab wounds that morning during a lengthy wrestling match at the Wilson home. Wilson and Mayhew maintained that the other attempted to retrieve the murder weapon.

The prosecution was successful and Mayhew will almost certainly be sentenced to life in prison after a July 30 hearing before Judge Francis E. Flannery.

As Morris tried to convince the jury to believe David Wilson was the culprit, Assistant Hampden District Attorney Dana Parsons countered that the theory was absurd given the couple's 25-year history that included traveling camping and plans to go to Florida.

“This is all a farce. Window dressing. The accused continues to play the blame game. David and Marcia were lovingly married,” Parsons said.