Redwood City Woman Convicted of Murdering Menlo Park Couple with Three Teenage Children

By Bay City News, photo via Shutterstock

A Redwood City woman was convicted of murder this morning in the 2013 deaths of a Menlo Park couple she struck with her car while driving drunk, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.

Marjorie Reitzell, 55, was convicted by a jury this morning of two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter and drunk driving charges.

The jury deliberated for less than a day and a half, according to Wagstaffe. With a prior DUI conviction from 2012, Reitzell faces a potential sentence of 33 years to life in prison, Wagstaffe said. Reitzell had been drinking heavily shortly before 7 p.m. on Oct. 24, 2013, when she veered off of Chilco Street in Menlo Park and struck Kamal Singh, 45, and Balbir Singh, 50, from behind.

The husband and wife, who were walking their dog alongside the road, were killed at the scene and their dog was injured. Reitzell then swerved across the center divider, hit another car, causing minor injuries to the occupants, and slammed into a tree. She was hospitalized after the crash and was found to have a blood-alcohol level of .23, nearly three times the legal limit, Wagstaffe said.

The Singhs left behind three teenage children. Reitzell was ordered to return to court for sentencing on June 26.