David Morrison

By Josh Lanier From Daily Voice

Two violent cold cases that rocked New England communities for decades now have answers, authorities said.

David Morrison, 65, pleaded guilty to kidnapping teenager Laura Sheridan in Massachusetts in 1981 and murdering pro golfer Sarah Hunter with a pair of scissors in Vermont five years later, the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office said.

A judge sentenced Morrison to life without parole in Vermont. He also received a sentence of two to four years in Massachusetts. He is already serving a life sentence in Vacaville, California, after being convicted of kidnapping, rape, and robbery, authorities said.

His new sentences will run concurrently with his current life sentence, and he will serve the time in Vermont.

Berkshire District Attorney Timothy Shugrue called Morrison's arrest a model for solving difficult cases and applauded the efforts of multiple police agencies working across state lines.

“This unprecedented collaboration demonstrates the immense potential for success in solving cases when we work together,” he said.

Laura Sheridan remembers the day Morrison offered her a ride as she walked home in New Ashford, Massachusetts. The then-15-year-old told investigators she felt safe when she got into his car, but after he stopped to get a paper bag from his trunk and sped by her home, she knew she was in trouble.

Inside the bag was a pistol, she told police. She begged Morrison to let her go, but he ignored her. As he fumbled to load the gun, she saw her moment and grabbed the firearm from him, prosecutors said. He beat her, but as he pulled over to try to get the weapon back, she jumped out of the car and flagged down a passing vehicle on Route 7.

Morrison sped away, but the Good Samaritan took down his license plate and passed it to Williamstown police, Berkshire authorities said.

Pro golfer Sarah Hunter did not survive her encounter with Morrison.

Morrison was working at a gas station in Manchester, Vermont, when the 36-year-old stopped in to buy a pack of cigarettes. Morrison grabbed her and tied her with ropes inside the store, prosecutors said.

He shoved her in his trunk and drove her to Danby, where he used a pair of scissors to stab her in the ear. The blades pierced her brain, killing her, authorities said.

Morrison was an early suspect in the killing, but the case was tossed out of court in 2015 over a mistake in evidence, NBC Vermont reported. 

Vermont State Police Det. Sgt. Samuel Truex, who led the investigation, always knew he would find Sarah Hunter's killer. 

Despite being retired, when prosecutors said he came back to work for another shot at arresting Morrison, he quickly put the badge back on and teamed up with his son, a current Vermont trooper, to secure the conviction. 

“Their commitment not just to justice, but to Sarah Hunter and her family, is one of the major reasons we are in front of you today," Bennington County (Vermont) State’s Attorney Erica Marthage said.

Marthage added that Sarah's family never gave up hope in finding her killer. 

"Sarah’s sister always answered every phone call we placed to her. She and Sarah’s entire family continue to live with heartbreak and lasting trauma each day of their lives. I am forever grateful to their strength and fortitude to bring Sarah’s case to finality.”