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Thread: David Zink - Missouri Execution - July 14, 2015

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    David Zink - Missouri Execution - July 14, 2015


    Amanda Morton




    Summary of Offense:

    In the early morning hours of July 12, 2001, police responded to the report of a traffic accident near Stafford. On their arrival, they found Amanda Morton's car abandoned with the keys in the ignition and the engine running, the headlights and hazard lights on, and the driver's window down. Police found Amanda's personal items in the vehicle, including her purse, credit card and medication.

    After the evening news broadcast the victim's disappearance, the owner of a motel near Camdenton recognized the victim's picture as the woman who checked into a room with Mr. Zink. The motel owner provided the police with Mr. Zink's motel registration card, and, using this information, the police apprehended Mr. Zink at his home. After police showed him evidence that placed him near the scene of the abduction, Mr. Zink waived his rights under Miranda v. Arizona, and confessed to killing and burying Ms. Morton.

    He led police straight to the spot in a cemetery where he said he buried the victim's body, and the police discovered the body positioned just as Mr. Zink had described. Pathologists found that the victim's neck was broken, she sustained injuries consistent with strangulation and being tied up, and she had eight broken ribs and between 50 and 100 blunt force injuries. Semen found in the victim's anus matched Mr. Zink's DNA, hair samples taken from Mr. Zink's truck matched the victim's hair, and paint left on the victim's car from the accident matched paint from Mr. Zink's truck.

    In two videotaped confessions, Mr. Zink described the murder in detail. He said that he rear-ended the victim's car on an exit ramp. In one confession, Mr. Zink told police that the victim voluntarily left the accident scene with him in his truck but later threatened to call police if he did not return her to her vehicle. In another confession, he said that he gave the victim no choice but to get in his truck, but that she willingly went with him after she was in the truck.

    After he drove the victim around in his truck, they stayed for a short time at the motel near Camdenton. Mr. Zink then decided to kill the victim because he was worried he would go back to prison if she called the police. He took her to the cemetery and tied her to a tree. He told her to look-up, and then he broke her neck. He strangled her with his hands, and then with a rope, and stuffed her mouth with mud and leaves. He looked for a spot to bury her and then dragged her body to that spot with the rope. Because he was worried that she might revive, he stated that he stabbed the back of her neck with a knife to cut her spinal cord. He then covered the body with leaves, went home to get a shovel, and came back to the cemetery and covered the body with dirt.

  2. #2
    Administrator Moh's Avatar
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    On April 2, 2009, Zink filed a habeas petition in Federal District Court.

    http://dockets.justia.com/docket/mis...cv08001/89789/

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    Administrator Moh's Avatar
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    On March 23, 2011, Zink filed an appeal in the US Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals over the denial of his habeas petition in Federal District Court.

    http://dockets.justia.com/docket/cir...s/ca8/11-1641/

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    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    MO Attorney General Asks for Execution Date for David Zink

    Missouri's top cop is asking the state Supreme Court to set execution dates in two capital murder cases linked to the Ozarks.

    On Thursday, Attorney General Chris Koster filed a Motion to Set Execution Date for nine cases, including Cecil Clayton and David Zink. He says there are no stays in effect in any of the cases.

    In February 2009, the high court denied an appeal to David Zink (above), who was sentenced to death for the murder of Amanda Morton in July 2001.

    Read More: Supreme Court Denies Zink Death Sentence Appeal

    Zink was found guilty in 2004 by a jury in St. Clair County, where Morton's body was found in a shallow grave the day after she disappeared.

    Morton's car had been rear-ended on an I-44 off-ramp at Strafford early on the morning of July 12, 2001. She disappeared from the scene.

    Hours later, after a law enforcement alert went out statewide, a motel clerk in Camdenton recognized Morton and called police. Zink was arrested at his home near Osceola. He led law officers to Morton's shallow grave at a cemetery in Osceola.

    Cecil Clayton, of Purdy, was found guilty of capital murder in the shooting death of Barry County Sheriff's Deputy Christopher Castetter, 29, in November 1996.

    Clayton was convicted in November 1997 and his death sentence was upheld in November 2008.

    http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext?nxd_id=647332
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

  5. #5
    demor
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    I'm Amanda's mother. We were very happy to hear this good news last week. Can't be too soon for us.

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    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Welcome to the site. I'm sorry for your loss. Hopefully Zink's case will move along without further delay.
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

  7. #7
    demor
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    Thanks for the kind welcome. I was very happy to find this board. The abolishment of the death penalty is a huge fear for families like ours who so desperately need to see the person who killed our loved ones punished. I've spent a lot of time writing letters to senators and representatives over the last 11 years and it would be such a relief to have it over with. I won't say we would get "closure" because I think that is an overused phrase that has no place when discussing the violent death of one's child. The most we can hope for is the relief that our tax dollars are no longer feeding that monster.

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    Senior Member Member nmiller855's Avatar
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    Demor, a friend witnessed the execution of the guy that robbed,kidnapped,raped & shot her on April 26th. She's now a surgical nurse & said it was weird watching him die since she is usually helping people live but she was glad the sentence was finally carried out. I hope his death comes soon. I'm very sorry for your'loss.

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    Banned TheKindExecutioner's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by demor View Post
    Thanks for the kind welcome. I was very happy to find this board. The abolishment of the death penalty is a huge fear for families like ours who so desperately need to see the person who killed our loved ones punished. I've spent a lot of time writing letters to senators and representatives over the last 11years and it would be such a relief to have it over with. I won't say we would get "closure" because I think that is an overused phrase that has no place when discussing the violent death of ones child. The most we can hope for is the relief that our tax dollars are no longer feeding that monster.
    Since you're an actual victim your words carry more weight! Make sure you mail and call our lazy Missouri senators and let them know you are very pro DP!

  10. #10
    Senior Member Member nmiller855's Avatar
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    I agree with TheKindExecutioner. Our friend & her family went to the media when the guy was granted a stay to bring attention to the case that was sentenced over 10 years ago. The stay was lifted & thankfully the execution was carried out.

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