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3w ago

Cal Fire Captain Charged With Special-Circumstance Murders of Girlfriend and Her Son

Prosecutors say he acted to silence witnesses, a special circumstance that could bring the death penalty.

Marissa Herzog and her son, Josiah “Jojo” Divodi-Lessa, were killed last week, allegedly by Cal Fire captain Darin McFarlin.
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FILE: A Cal Fire captain has been charged by prosecutors with five felony charges in the fatal shooting of a woman and her son.

Overview

  • Darin McFarlin, 47, pleaded not guilty after prosecutors filed five felony counts, including two first-degree murders, in El Dorado County Superior Court.
  • The complaint alleges the killings of 29-year-old Marissa Divodi-Lessa and her son, identified by family as Josiah “Jojo” Divodi-Lessa, were premeditated to prevent testimony.
  • Additional charges include the attempted murder of another child, inflicting injury on Divodi-Lessa before the shooting, and felony child abuse causing severe mental suffering to the surviving child.
  • Deputies found the woman dead and the boy critically wounded after a 9 p.m. Aug. 21 call to a Cameron Park home; McFarlin was detained just after midnight in Mono County and remains held without bail.
  • Cal Fire confirmed McFarlin, a captain in the Amador–El Dorado unit, is on unpaid administrative leave, and court dates are set for a Sept. 29 status hearing and an Oct. 16 preliminary hearing.