Former Southern Minnesota Man Found Guilty of Murder

A former Southern Minnesota man was found guilty of murder yesterday in Hennepin County. Marcus Allen Wayne Hallmark, who previously lived in Albert Lea, was found guilty of both first and second-degree murder in the shooting death of Thomas John Russ, in March of 2017. At the time that the murder occurred Hallmark was living in Columbia Heights, MN.

Hallmark was arrested after he shot one of two men who were changing a flat tire on a car inside a parking ramp. Hallmark pulled out a handgun and shot Russ in the head twice. The victim was declared dead on the scene.

Hallmark is scheduled to be sentenced February 26th.

Before the guilty verdict was announced in this case, Hallmark had five previous felony convictions, including one in Freeborn County.  In August 2010, he was arrested in connection to a stabbing in Albert Lea.

Hallmark pleaded guilty to in 2011 to a charge of Aid and Abet Assault Causing Substantial Bodily Harm.  A judge sentenced him to five years of probation and a stayed jail sentence of one year with credit for time served.