Former Marine accused of killing, dismembering daughter, years after allegedly murdering son

A 68-year-old Maryland man is standing trial for allegedly killing and dismembering his daughter in Baltimore two years ago.

Former Marine Malik Samartaney is on trial in Baltimore Circuit Court for the first-degree murder of his daughter, Dominique Foster, 43, and the unauthorized disposal of her body, The Baltimore Sun reported.

Foster was found dead in May 2019 when a neighbor reported a suspicious package at a dumpster in Baltimore. Authorities found a shopping cart with a bloody black trash bag that contained Foster's mutilated body. The woman was bound, and her hands, feet and head were missing.

A family member confirmed that it was Foster after investigators circulated images of her tattoos. The victim's father lived just 700 feet from the dumpster where she was found.

Assistant State's Attorney Elizabeth Stock told jurors Friday that Foster was doing well in drug treatment and was ready to be free from her father's manipulations before she was found dead. The victim had sent her father messages, which were read in court, asking him to "stop texting my kids pictures of me naked and shooting up."

"She was done with him," Stock said, "so he was done with her."

Foster's family suspected that Samartaney killed his daughter due to the former Marine's history of violence. In 1975, Foster, then 7 months old, was thrown by her father, who was known then as Lawrence Banks, through a glass door following an argument with her mother. Foster required nearly 24 stitches to the head.

Samartaney was charged with assault and intent to disfigure. While awaiting trial, the decomposed body of his wife and Foster's mother, Vivian Banks, was found by authorities in her closet. His wife's cause of death was not determined.

Samartaney was sentenced to 15-years in prison for assaulting his daughter and was released in 1988, Fox News reported.

In 1991, while out drinking with friends, Samartaney fatally shot one of them in the head and left the body along a road. He then drove to Baltimore and allegedly killed his 17-year-old son at his foster home.

Authorities said Samartaney had become enraged with his children for reporting him to authorities for alleged child abuse. He allegedly beat his son and raped his daughter.

Samartaney went back to prison, this time receiving 20-year prison sentences to be served concurrently after pleading guilty to his friend's murder and no contest to his son's killing. He was released 11 years later with credit for good behavior and changed his name to Malik Samartaney.

The former Marine remarried but ended up separating from his second wife after he was charged with assaulting her. He was found not guilty of that charge.

Jurors will continue deliberating Monday whether Samartaney is guilty of killing and dismembering Foster.