A Parker County man who was convicted of murdering a 3-year-old boy in the past has now been charged with sexually assaulting a woman over the weekend.
John Robert Morton, 52, was put on parole after a 1983 murder conviction of Charles Christopher Burns, a 3-year-old boy, who was his then-girlfriend’s son.
A woman reported on Saturday that she had been sexually assaulted by Morton. Sheriff’s deputies went out to the 1400 block of Ranger Highway, where the victim told her story.
The victim said she was acquaintances with Morton, and had asked him for a ride after her shift.
She said that they went back to his girlfriend's house, where she sometimes stays, and Morton made a sexual advance towards her, which she declined.
“The victim then stated Morton physically forced her into a bedroom of the home, as she continually resisted him physically,” the press release said. “Morton then told the victim to undress, and proceeded to sexually assault her.”
Back in 1984, Morton received the maximum sentence of 99 years after being convicted of murdering his girlfriend’s son.
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Court records said the 3-year-old boy died from blunt force trauma. He also suffered from bruises all over his body, along with 17 bite marks that Morton said he inflicted to the child, according to court records.
“Expert testimony from a bite analyst at Morton’s trial described a certain bite mark on the child as 'sadistic,' and had been intentionally inflicted to cause pain,” the press release said.
The Parker’s County Sheriff’s department said that Morton was released early from prison last year, despite a plea from Parker County District Attorney Amy Adams.
Adams said in a letter written in 1999 that “based on the brutality and obvious suffering of the child victim, society demands protection from this man. The possibility of future victims must be weighed against his right of release on parole.”
Now, Morton has been charged with second-degree felony sexual assault and is in the Parker County Jail with a bond set at $50,000.
“Parker County Sheriff Larry Fowler said he expects a parole warrant to be issued for Morton. A no bond is typically set for parole violations,” the press release said.
