Kidderminster poker star faces extradition to US
A poker champion from Kidderminster who is facing extradition to the US for allegedly killing his wife then dumping her body in a national park has appeared in court.
Marcus Bebb-Jones, 46, murdered his wife Sabrina in 1997 then spent her money during a "playboy" weekend in Las Vegas, American prosecutors claim.
The professional gambler was arrested last week in a raid at his home amid accusations he went on to spend thousands of dollars on her credit cards before botching a suicide bid.
Briefly appearing for a second extradition hearing at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court, Bebb-Jones was remanded in custody again for a third appearance at the court on December 9.
At the previous hearing, prosecutors representing the US government claimed the poker player shot himself in the head in a bizarre sequence of events after allegedly killing his wife at a national park in Colorado. Her skull was not found until 2004.
An arrest warrant was issued by US authorities on October 30 this year, Aaron Watkins, representing the US Government, said.
Before her murder, the couple ran the Hotel Melrose in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Bebb-Jones was "obstructive" during police investigations into his wife's disappearance, Mr Watkins told the court.
Bebb-Jones had won a "large amount" of money as a professional poker player so he has access to that money to aid him in his escape, the court heard.
Bebb-Jones, who has been living in Kidderminster with his mother since returning to the UK, lived in the US for eight years but has been in the UK for around a decade, the court heard.
