FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 21, 2018
COVINGTON—District Attorney Warren Montgomery reports that David Joseph Murray, 50, of Mandeville, pleaded guilty Tuesday (Feb. 20) to two counts of forcible rape and one count of molestation of a juvenile. District Judge Reginald Badeaux sentenced Murray to 40 years each on the rape counts and 20 years on the molestation charge. The sentences are to be served at the same time.
Murray pleaded guilty to raping a girl, who was 11 years old when the abuse began. The victim was pregnant at 13 years old, when her mother discovered Facebook and text messages between Murray and her daughter in which Murray referred to the unborn child as his baby. The victim disclosed to the mother that she had been having sexual intercourse with Murray. The mother contacted police.
Inappropriate sexual messages also were found on a computer between Murray and the victim in Jefferson Parish, where he was living at the time. During the investigation, a second victim disclosed that she was 7 to 8 years old when Murray also began touching her sexually and forcing her to touch him, and he eventually performed oral sex on her.
Detective Carli Messina of the St Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant District Attorneys Blair Alford and Luke Lancaster prosecuted the case.
The two victims and their family members were present in court and gave emotional impact statements. They agreed with the plea and thanked the criminal justice system, which they said worked for them.