VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – “I love you and I just want you to know that I will always be there for you when you need someone to talk to.”
The 11-year-old who shared these touching words in a sympathy card to his mother is the son 64-year-old Cynthia Morton remembers. 32 years later, she finds him unrecognizable.
“I was looking at my own son on the news for the murder of this girl…you see other people but when you see your own son on the news for a murder, it was hard to believe,” said a tearful Morton from her Norfolk home. “It was like I was dreaming and I couldn’t wake up. You know, it was like I was looking at two different people.”.
The nightmare for another family began Wednesday, August 17 when Marie Covington was abducted from her home allegedly by her boyfriend, 43-year-old Gary Morton. The next day loved ones filed a missing person report. Detectives showed up at Cynthia Morton’s door Saturday night shortly before Covington’s remains were found.
“When she[a detective] called my son’s name, I knew something was wrong. She said ‘do you know Gary Morton’, I said that’s my son, recalled Morton.
That son has a history of alleged violence against women. The suspect’s mother has disturbing details on the three cases uncovered by 10 On Your Side investigators.
“One of them, her name was Vanessa; she told me how Gary would fight her. Another victim was a girlfriend who is Filipino. She called herself La La,” Morton explained. “She told me that he beat her up and she took pictures on her phone of the bruises. A third victim is identified as Lauren.”
“I remember there was a white girl that he was with who told me he put hands on her,” said Morton.
Regina Mobley: If these allegations against your son are true: the three girls who told you he abused them and Marie Covington, who is now dead, what do you have to say to your son?
Cynthia Morton: You know I don’t even know what to say to him I don’t know what to say. I told the Lord I don’t know what to pray.
Regina Mobley: Do you pray for justice?
Cynthia Morton: Yes I do and I especially pray for her family.
Covington is survived by two sons and two daughters. The youngest is only 9 years old. The family has established a GoFundMe page to help with expenses. A memorial service is set for Sunday at 3:00 pm at First Baptist Church Campostella located at 1510 Conoga Street, Norfolk, Va.
