Editor’s note: This story contains descriptions of domestic violence A Salem man who previously pleaded guilty to stabbing his wife and her dog is now asking for his case to be sent back to court for trial. Last November, Mark J. Fox, 55, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for attempting to murder his now ex-wife and killing her dog during an attack in 2023. In court filings, prosecutors described Fox, the former owner of a local construction company, as “depraved,” and called his acts of domestic violence “the facts of nightmares.”  He pleaded guilty to the stabbing in May 2024, before requesting to withdraw his plea in February 2025, Marion County Circuit Court records show. Judge James Edmonds denied the request, along with a request to reconsider his denial. Fox did not understand what he pleaded to or the consequences of his plea, his lawyer, Jason Thompson, argued in a brief filed June 1 with the Oregon Court of Appeals.  Make Salem Reporter your trusted source for accurate, independent local news – every day. Stay informed and connected to your community. Subscribe today. The filing asks for judges to overturn the dismissal of Fox’s requests to withdraw his guilty plea and send his case back to circuit court for a trial. The charges Fox pleaded guilty to included second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault and aggravated animal abuse, according to court records. He was the founder and former owner of White Oak Construction, which is based in south Salem. His 20-year sentence stemmed from two incidents. On Oct. 9, 2023, first responders arrived at Fox’s Salem home and found his wife with bruises along her arms, chest, legs, hands and feet, according to court records. He was initially charged with strangulation, assault, interfering with making a report and resisting arrest for that incident. In a memorandum seeking a 28-year sentence for Fox, Marion County Chief Deputy District Attorney Brendan Murphy wrote that the second attack “read like a scene from a horror movie.” On Nov. 8, 2023, Fox showed up at the home as part of a plan to kill himself and avoid going to prison for the case against him relating to previous domestic violence, the memorandum said. During the attack, Fox stabbed his wife several times, including her throat, ear, shoulder and hand. After law enforcement arrived on scene and searched the house, they found the wife’s dog with multiple stab wounds, the memorandum said. The dog died from its injuries after being taken to a local veterinarian. Last November, Edmonds sentenced Fox to 20 years and one month in state prison for the attempted murder conviction and previous domestic violence. The sentence included three years of post-prison supervision. Fox is being held at the Oregon State Penitentiary. Murphy described Fox as “an aggravated domestic abuser which is demonstrated by his attempts to control his wife, law enforcement and court systems.” In the brief in Fox’s appeals case, Thompson argues that Edmonds “erred” by dismissing Fox’s requests to withdraw his guilty plea. Thompson filed the initial notice of Fox’s appeal less than two weeks after his sentencing. Fox’s plea was not voluntary, Thompson argued, due to his lack of full access to court records ahead of his plea, feeling “compelled” to plead guilty and not fully understanding his options for trial and sentencing. The claims are similar to Fox’s initial argument to withdraw his plea that he submitted in court last year. Edmonds denied that request May 13, 2025, citing Fox’s previous acknowledgement he understood his plea and that he waived his right to a jury trial. “There is no indication that the state hid this material nor is there a compelling reason to believe that (the) defendant was surprised by its contents,” Edmonds wrote in his order dismissing the request. In his 2025 dismissal, Edmonds wrote that Fox indicated he understood his plea at the time and expressed no concerns that it was “coerced or compelled.”  There are not currently any hearings scheduled for the appeals case, according to online court records. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Former Salem business owner sentenced to 20 years for attempting to murder his wife, killing dog Contact reporter Madeleine Moore: [email protected]. The post Salem man appeals his 20-year sentence for the attempted murder of his wife appeared first on Salem Reporter. ...read more read less