Trial Underway For Cantonment Man Charged With Murdering His Navy Wife In 2001

June 15, 2022

Trial is underway this week for a Cantonment man indicted in 2020 for the murder of his wife over two decades ago.

An Escambia County grand jury indicted Gregory Paul Malarik, now 59, for first degree premeditated murder with a firearm. His trial before Judge John Simon  is expected to continue through at least Thursday.

Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrested Malarik for the 2001 murder of his wife,  Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Sherri Malarik.  Gregory Malarik, a former Navy Petty Officer 1st Class, was employed by the Naval Aviation Technical Training Center aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola.

The body of  Sherri Lynn Malarik was found September 22, 2001, at about 8 a.m. inside a Dodge Caravan in the parking lot of the Winn Dixie and Movie Gallery at 1550 South Highway 29, less than three miles from the couple’s home. She was found by her brother-in-law, Jeff Leake.

“It was unlocked, I opened it and I was screaming ‘Sherri’ and I touched her and kind of shook her arm a little bit,” Leake said. “She didn’t move.”

An autopsy found that she was murdered – shot twice in the head with a .25 caliber handgun. She was found in the floorboard of the van. Forensic evidence indicated that she was shot while seated in the passenger seat.

The investigation revealed he was engaged in an extramarital affair with Jennifer Spohn who, at that time, was his co-worker. Spohn later disclosed that he wanted to end the marriage but, having previously been married, did not want to go through another divorce proceeding. She related a conversation to investigators in which Gregory Malarick suggested he should just kill Sherri.

Investigators said they believed Gregory Malarik drove Sherri Malarik to the Winn Dixie in the minivan. Gregory told Sphon to meet him later that evening at the Winn Dixie to pick him up. When Spohn arrived at Winn Dixie at the appointed time, Gregory was there with the van, got into her vehicle, and told her to drive normally. Once out on Highway 29, Gregory discarded what appeared to be a long-haired wig. Spohn then dropped Gregory off at the marital residence.

Swabs taken from his hands the day of the murder were positive for gunshot residue, and pants believed to have been worn the night of the murder were found to have gunpowder in the left front pocket, the report states.

In 2017, a NCIS investigator examined phone records from the Malarik residence from the  night of September 21, 2001. He found that multiple calls were made at 6:29 p.m., 7:59 p.m., 8 p.m. at 8:47 p.m. “This provided two periods of time sufficient for Malarik to have committed the homicide, transported (Sherri) Malarik’s body to Winn Dixie, and returned home,” the report states.

The .25 caliber handgun used in the murder was never recovered, but the investigation revealed Gregory Malarik owned such a weapon at the time of the homicide.

The arrest report states that emails recovered show Gregory Malarik and his mistress had discussed “how to trick a polygraph” as early July 31, 2001.

An email from Sherri Malarik to her sister stated: “I believe that there is spiritual warfare going on in my home and Greg just can’t see it…He is simply upset because he feel that I put other people before him when I listed to the possibility of masonry being something other than it seems…He feels as if I betrayed him. Please keep us in your prayers…we need all the help we can get.”

Spohn was re-interviewed in May 7, 2002, and gave a similar account to her 2001 statements. Spohn was interviewed again on March 6, 2020, during which she gave testimony that was inconsistent with her original statement, the arrest report states, leading investigators to believe her original statement about returning a lawn mower was a cover story. Those statements were redacted. Investigators believe she assisted in the homicide and the destruction of evidence which had been preplanned, possibility for several months as indicated by emails.

Spohn was offered immunity for her testimony.

Comments

8 Responses to “Trial Underway For Cantonment Man Charged With Murdering His Navy Wife In 2001”

  1. Charles clayton on July 24th, 2022 6:50 pm

    I worked in the same office with Sherri and Greg. Sherri received orders for a year tour in Greenland. She was murdered soon when she returned. Sherri was the kindest person I have ever known. It was terrible having to work in the same office with Greg knowing his pregnant mistress was still working downstairs and being certain that Greg had killed her.

  2. Dee Jennings on June 30th, 2022 1:08 am

    Just shows you how our justice system works. Gun powder on his hands ands pants mistress states she picked him up where the van was and drive normal. Takes a wig off and toss it. 20 years later than a mis trial . Someone got paid off. It’s sad because her children were left without a mother . They suffered and one day he will be judge by God and that’s when justice will be served. My prayers for her family and hope when they go back to court the jury’s will have another verdict. She was a beautiful person and may she est in peace.

  3. Autism Mom on June 17th, 2022 12:04 am

    Wow….just when you thought you knew someone! She has a son about that old.

  4. I Remember on June 16th, 2022 3:26 pm

    I remember this all too well. I lived not too far from them. I knew from the get to that he did it. So glad he was finally caught. Too bad she was offered immunity. She deserves prison time just as much as he does.

  5. Sad Panda on June 15th, 2022 11:44 pm

    Worked with this guy in Pensacola.
    Rot in hell buddy.

  6. Carl on June 15th, 2022 10:48 am

    The wheels of justice turns slowly.
    So does your mentality thinking you got away with this issue .
    Premeditated..its your turn now.

  7. Jim on June 15th, 2022 9:58 am

    Wow – 20+ years! Justice delayed is (too often) justice denied.

  8. Sad! on June 15th, 2022 9:37 am

    What kind of woman lives with this for over 20 yrs. Oh yeah, that kind. Both should go to prison!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News