Am I the only one that thinks Murphy is way over powered for a run on the mill human? No one out fights Murphy not even super naturals. No one out shoots Murphy. Heck in the last book she basically get torn apart and crippled has multiple surgeries, is in casts for months. She cuts hers casts off and after a hot bath is getting the better of a Valkyrie. Heck Harry is a wizard and after being messed up that bad had to take on the mantle of the winter knight to fix it all Murphy needs is a hot bath.
I think we discount the power of normal vanilla humans a bit too much when discussing the Dresden files. With all the magic, demons, angels, fallen, faeries, gods and outsiders that has been taking up page count recently mere vanilla has been a bit underrated. The wisest supernatural beings like Vadderung however knows to fear vanilla mortals, or at least not to underestimate them.
JB's story always emphasize the importance of mind and will power over sheer muscle, magical or otherwise. Vanilla mortals, at least people like Murphy and marcone, are not lacking in both mind and will. Their physical strength and lack of magical power is indeed a limitation, but it does not reduce their danger level. Most vanilla are so much a soft target because they often panic when danger comes, not because they are truly helpless.
Being able to benchpress 10 tons is not as important as knowing when, where, how and why to use that force. An. If you lack power, you can always borrow, ask for help or in Marcone's case simply hire them with lots of money or by trading favors. In other words, power can be aquired. Wisdom, experience, courage and perceverence however is something innate to each person.