The Tragic Death of Mawr Wallace

Mawr Wallace was a guy I met back in 2000.  He was, at that time, an up and coming strongman.  I wrote a bit about him about "The Eye of Ra" which can be seen on the P&B if you follow that link now, but I'm not going to post it here.  Mawr never seemed like he was bad.  He was very charismatic and had a positive energy about him.  He obviously had some issues with mental health even back then, but it was more of an eccentricity rather than a handicap at that point. 

A few months before Jesse Marunde, another Washington strongman, died, we'd swapped a few emails, and in one of them I'd asked if he knew how Mawr was doing.  "Dude," Jesse said, "Mawr's having a pretty rough time of it from what I hear.  I haven't seen him in years."

Mawr was stabbed to death by his step-father.  His step-father is claiming self-defense.  He was 38.

That poor son of a bitch.  I hope you find peace and happiness in whatever comes after, brother.


http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/crime/story/514172.html

Man killed by stepdad mentally ill, mom says

IAN DEMSKY; ian.demsky@thenewstribune.com

Published: October 21st, 2008 01:02 AM | Updated: October 21st, 2008 01:06 AM

A man who was stabbed and killed by his stepfather Sunday was a competitive “strongman” who struggled with mental health issues and drug abuse in recent years, his parents said Monday.

Ten years ago, the son, going by the name Mawr Wallace, was featured in a front-page story in The News Tribune as he prepared for a strongman competition in St. Louis. Wallace, who was identified by the Medical Examiner’s Office as Marcos Sanchez-Youngblood, also went by Marc Walker Wallace in some court records.

His mother, Ann Carlsen, said her son changed his name as his personality changed due to his illness.

“Up until the onset of his schizophrenia, he was just this wonderful young man,” she said. “He didn’t drink, he didn’t drug. He was a youth group leader and all the kids just adored him.”

Wallace’s delusions included animosity and threats toward his stepfather, she said.

“My husband is the victim here,” she said. “And Mark is the victim as far as the mental illness is concerned.”

Carlsen said her husband resorted to protecting himself with a knife only after being attacked.

In the 1998 newspaper story, Wallace talked about his feat of pulling a 23,000-pound dump truck. “It’s nothing mythical or magical,” he said then. “I guess I’m pretty strong. But when I really go in deep, the power comes into me and I blank out. Then I see what happened when I come back.”

Friend Steve Potter said watching Wallace’s decline was painful, but he retained fond memories.

“My son & I stood with him at his wedding years ago, a day we will never forget, Marc in a bear skin, and his beautiful bride in a white wedding gown,” he wrote in an e-mail. “The ceremony was held in a Llama pasture. Only Marc!”

The last several years were a nightmare for Wallace’s family, stepfather James Paul Carlsen said. “We’ve been to court numerous times,” he said. “He busted down the door. He took stuff from the house.”

Ann Carlsen said she felt like the court system didn’t help him get the treatment he needed or punish him for violating court orders. A restraining order granted in 2005 gives a glimpse into his family’s fear.

According to the document, Wallace knocked on his parents’ door and said, “I am no longer afraid to fight you and I am ready to kill you.” He broke down the door and stole a parrot, which was later recovered.

The family said in the document that Wallace refused to take medication for his condition.

James Carlsen said Wallace, 38, showed up at his door again Sunday. After being asked to leave, he turned to go, but then wheeled around and “started wailing on me,” Carlsen said. Carlsen, who had armed himself with a knife, killed his stepson.

Police spokesman Mark Fulghum said no arrest was imminent and that prosecutors will decide whether to pursue charges.

Ian Demsky: 253-597-8872

Comments

[Rick]

Hello, I am Mawr's brother in law (Marc to those of who have known him) He did struggle with Schitzophrenia and delusions quite a bit and up to the end was involved in bizzare actions. The story from the TNT is accurate to describe it as an act of selfe defence. The father in law is old and chronically ill. There were death threats to him for at least three years, and one was made to me personally with my 8 year old son standing next to me. It is a sad thing that this disease did steal such a fantastic young man. Please remember him for the best that he was not the actions that the disease drove him to.

Sincerely, Rick G.

[Robert T.]

I knew Mawr as he was in 2000-2002 and yes he had his issues but at that time he was not far from the guy beside you on the street, or so it seemed. We would sit and chat about me and the American Gladiat'rs, but soon after that he dissappeared and this is the first I'v got word of his where-a-bouts, I was with him at his Wedding and talked in debth soon after as it was a short contract.
I do believe that this ending was a result of the Father-in-law defending himself, I trust that the law will see the same.
R.T.