Updated 03/22/2013 05:29 PM
Norwood jury hears of 1988 Baker murder for first time
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On Jan. 13 1988, Debra Baker was beaten to death in her North Austin home, struck six to eight times in the head with a blunt object. Two pillows were left on top of her body.
Two years earlier, Christine Morton was found beaten to death in her own North Austin home, killed by six to eight blows to the head, with two pillows left on top of her body.
DNA from a bloody bandana found near Morton’s home matched that of Mark Allan Norwood, now 58 years old. His DNA was also found on the crime scene of the Baker murder.
Norwood is currently on trial in San Angelo for Morton’s death, and evidence from Baker’s murder will be used against him. Presiding District Judge Burt Carnes ruled just after Friday's lunch break that prosecutors could include the details of Baker’s bludgeoning in their case against Norwood.
Defense attorneys argued before the judge - without the jury present - that there are not enough similarities between the two murders. They argued if the Debra Baker murder is brought into evidence it would “unfairly prejudice the jury.”
Special prosecutor Lisa Tanner countered their argument, telling the judge there are numerous similarities between the two deaths including:
• Both victims are female
• The murders occurred within two years of each other
• DNA evidence links Norwood to both crime scenes
• Each victim was covered by two pillows
• Each victim was killed by six to eight blows to the head
• Victims were similar in age
• In each crime scene, money was stolen from the victims' wallets and jewelry was left behind on their dressers
• Neither victim was sexually assaulted
Prosecutors told the judge they would to limit testimony about the Baker murder. They plan on showing the jury four photos, including one of Baker’s autopsy, one of her with no injury and some shots of the crime scene.
Debra Baker’s mother testified Friday afternoon. She discovered her daughter’s body.
Earlier Friday, Norwood’s ex-wife, 47-year-old Judy Norwood, took the stand. She was living with the defendant on Justin Lane in North Austin when both the Baker and Morton murders occurred.
Judy Norwood testified her husband was often gone at night, telling her he was working jobs as a carpet layer. She first met Mark Norwood when she was 14-years-old, in the Nashville, TN area. The couple ran away when Judy Norwood was 15 years of age.
Mark Norwood convinced her to sue her family so they could get married and live together before she turned 18, according to her testimony.
The couple moved to Austin from Tennessee and had one son together. In a photo presented by the state, a younger Mark Norwood is seen facing away from the camera, a red bandana, hanging from his right rear pocket.
Prosecutors used the photo to show the former carpet layer and handy man, carried bandanas frequently.
It was a bloody blue bandana that was found the day after Morton's death that linked Norwood's DNA to Christine Morton. It was also that DNA which freed Morton’s husband, Michael Morton, from prison, 25 years after he was wrongfully convicted of the crime.
Norwood was arrested in fall 2011. He was was living in Bastrop with his mother, working as a dishwasher in a restaurant.
The state is expected to wrap up its case by Tuesday of next week.
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