Early Life and Troubled Beginnings

David Bruce Morton was born on May 14, 1959, in Oklahoma, a state known for its wide-open spaces and turbulent weather. His early years were similarly tumultuous. At the tender age of five, Morton and his siblings were snatched from their parents by Child Protective Services. This separation from his family would prove to be a pivotal moment in his life, as he would never see them again. The emotional turmoil from this abandonment left him languishing in the foster system for three years, during which he was not adopted.

As he grew, his life took a darker turn. By the age of 16, Morton had ventured into crime, committing armed robbery at a local store. This first foray into criminal activity landed him in a prison treatment facility, from which he managed to escape, only to be recaptured. After his release, he sought a fresh start in New Mexico in 1979. Instead of redemption, he found a life of crime, committing a series of armed robberies that resulted in a five-year prison sentence.

The Murders

Janet Benoit

It was November 1983 when 22-year-old Janet Benoit, a recent graduate of Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School, embarked on a journey from Arvada, Colorado, to Phoenix, Arizona. Her plans included a stopover in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she checked into the Comfort Inn. Tragically, her journey ended there. The following day, a housekeeper discovered Janet's lifeless body. She lay face down on the bed, her head hanging off the end.

Her brother, Dave Benoit, couldn't fathom how someone had gained access to her room. His private investigation revealed a shocking lapse in security: nearly a third of the keys issued to guests were master keys, giving their holders access to every room. Outraged, Dave sued Comfort Inn, and the case was settled out of court.

Teri Mulvaney

On June 28, 1984, another life was brutally cut short. Teri Lynn Mulvaney, a 25-year-old secretary at the Public Service Company of New Mexico, was found raped and strangled in her apartment. The police investigation led them to Morton, her neighbor. Fatefully, Morton was arrested for drunk-driving, and his cellmate later reported that Morton had confessed to Teri's murder. Despite this chilling confession, prosecutors claimed insufficient evidence to charge him.

Determined, Teri's parents initiated a letter-writing campaign to bring Morton before a grand jury. Their persistence paid off, and in 1988, he faced trial. However, District Attorney Chet Walter voiced doubts about the evidence. In October 1988, the jury was deadlocked, with eleven jurors voting for acquittal and one for conviction. The case was ultimately dismissed.

Kim Kendall

Morton soon relocated to Amarillo, Texas, where his malevolent streak continued. On May 4, 1990, he raped and murdered 22-year-old Kimberly "Kim" Kendall, a secretary and college student. Her husband was the unfortunate soul who discovered her body. Morton was swiftly arrested, tried, and sentenced to life imprisonment. At the time, no one linked him to the other murders.

Suspected Victims and Confession

In 1996, Santa Fe police noted haunting similarities between the murders of Kim Kendall and Janet Benoit. Both suffered stab wounds to the back and neck. It wasn't until 2003 that Morton confessed to the murders of both Benoit and Mulvaney, pleading guilty in court.

Beyond these known victims, Morton is suspected of a string of other murders:

• Teal Pittington: The 18-year-old vanished in August 1984, her body discovered months later in a decomposed state, identified only through dental records.
• Maria Padilla: Killed in May 1985, her body was found raped, with semen evidence discovered at the scene.
• Susan LaPorte: A Boston native, she was found bound and murdered in December 1985. A DNA match in 2009 provided a breakthrough, but no suspects were arrested.
• Roberta Michelle Montoya: After moving to Santa Fe in 1986, she disappeared, and her skeletal remains were found in 1987, presumed a homicide.
• Michelle Quintana: The real estate worker vanished in August 1987, and although her truck was found, she was never seen again, presumed murdered.

Conclusion

David Bruce Morton, a man whose early life was marked by abandonment and crime, left a trail of devastation across New Mexico and Texas. With confessions and evidence tying him to multiple murders, Morton now serves two life sentences. Yet, the full extent of his crimes may remain shrouded in mystery, with several unsolved cases still haunting the communities he terrorized.