Robert W. White

Background

Robert W. White Jr. was 50 years old and formerly lived in Easton. He lived in his wife’s apartment across the hall from Virginia Morrell at the time of her murder.

Virginia Morrell was 21 years old and had been a 1975 Phillipsburg High School graduate.

Before the 1978 murder, White served prison time for an attempted rape in 1979. He was convicted in another rape and abduction that occurred less than a year after he was paroled. In 1982, he was sentenced to 40 years in state prison and was free since 2006.

The offence

Virginia Morrell was murdered in 1978 on Halloween. Her nude body was found on her apartment floor with her hands bound behind her back.

Authorities said Morrell died of asphyxia, and her nose and mouth had been covered with masking tape.

Authorities said masking tape, along with a laundry rope, a mask, and a knife, disappeared from White’s ex-wife’s home the day Morrell was killed.

Investigation

Easton police Detective Daniel Regan began investigating the cold case last March.

The case was described as being dusted off about 18 months before the April 29, 2008 hearing and re-opened during a routine look into unsolved murders. After reviewing the evidence, Reagan said he was hopeful modern technology would be able to shed new light on the murder.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, DNA found on a nightgown found under Morrell’s body and tested last year matched White’s DNA.

In an interview with White’s ex-wife last month, Regan said she identified a picture of the rope used to bind Morrell’s hands as the type of clothesline missing from her apartment bathroom around the time of the killing. The affidavit said the night before the killing was discovered was her son’s first Halloween, on Oct. 31, 1978.

Arrest

White was arrested March 25 in Roanoke, Va., after police had DNA evidence linking him to the crime.

White was being held in Roanoke, Va., city jail charged with being a fugitive. He was later being held in Northampton County Prison without bail.

On Feb. 28, Easton police served a search warrant in Roanoke seeking a DNA sample from White in connection with Morrell’s killing. A preliminary test matched White with evidence recovered from the murder of Virginia Morrell.

White spent several years living in Easton before returning to his home state of Virginia.

Charges

White was charged with the 1978 murder of Virginia Morrell when he would be extradited to Pennsylvania.

Court records were described as showing he would face a single count of criminal homicide.

At a hearing on April 29, 2008 before District Judge Daniel Corpora, the charges against White were held for court.

Trial

White entered a guilty plea during his murder trial about two and a half days into the trial.

Before sentencing, Morrell’s sister, Marilyn Belmonte, read a prepared statement to Northampton County Judge Stephen Baratta.

Morrell’s family and friends responded in court with approval and agreement when White was led from the courtroom with his arms shackled.

Jason Gerlach, a juror from Palmer Township, said the women’s testimony was convincing. He said: "It was very powerful." He also said: "They were sharp. They were emotional. They stared him down ... I think (White) realized we were paying attention. I think they ultimately understood what they were doing" to his case.

Defense attorneys said White asked for the plea during a recess that followed the women’s testimony.

Three women testified that White attacked them between 1978 and 1982.

A woman from Richmond, Va., said White raped her while her baby cried in a crib.

Another woman from Richmond said she fought off what she believe would be a rape by White.

A Forks Township woman said White pinned her in a bathroom stall at a township restaurant and sexually assaulted her.

White pleaded at 1:37 that afternoon.

Sentencing

White pleaded guilty to the 1978 murder of Virginia Morrell.

The plea was described as being made so Morrell could avoid the death penalty. A first-degree murder conviction carried a mandatory life sentence.

Morrell’s sister, Marilyn Belmonte, said:

"We can only hope, this man, not man -- animal," she said, "gets the maximum sentence you can give him."

Morrell’s sister also said:

"Robert White should rot in hell,"

After the statement, a call of "Here, here" and "amen" came from Morrell’s family and friends in the courtroom.

White was sentenced to life in prison on March 18, 2009.

Timeline

• Nov. 1, 1978 — Virginia Morrell’s nude body was found face-down on the floor in her Ann Street apartment with her hands bound behind her back; she died of asphyxia with her nose and mouth covered with masking tape.
• Oct. 31, 1978 — Morrell’s killing was discovered the night after her son’s first Halloween, according to the affidavit.
• March 25, 2008 — White was arrested in Roanoke, Va., after DNA evidence linked him to the crime.
• Feb. 28 (year not stated) — Easton police served a search warrant in Roanoke seeking a DNA sample from White in connection with the killing.
• April 29, 2008 — Charges against White were held for court at a hearing before District Judge Daniel Corpora.
• March 18, 2009 — White pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.

Outcome

White pleaded guilty to the 1978 murder of Virginia Morrell and was sentenced to life in prison.

Other details

People

• Virginia Morrell — victim; 21 years old; 1975 Phillipsburg High School graduate.
• Robert W. White Jr. — defendant; 50 years old at the time described; formerly of Easton.
• Marilyn Belmonte — Morrell’s sister.
• Judge Stephen Baratta — Northampton County Judge.
• District Judge Daniel Corpora — presided over the April 29, 2008 hearing described.
• District Attorney John Morganelli — Northampton County District Attorney.
• Detective Daniel Regan — Easton police detective who began investigating the cold case.
• Jason Gerlach — juror from Palmer Township.
• White’s ex-wife — witness in court records who remembered missing items from her apartment bathroom and identified the rope type.

Places

• Easton — city connected to the victim and the investigation.
• Roanoke, Va. — where White was held and arrested.
• Northampton County Prison — where White was held without bail.
• Virginia — White’s home state.
• Forks Township — referenced location of one of the alleged assaults by White.
• Palmer Township — Jason Gerlach was a juror from there.
• Ann Street apartment — where Morrell’s body was found.

Additional custody and extradition details

White was described as living with his wife in an apartment across the hall from Morrell at the time of her murder. When arrested, he was charged with being a fugitive and was described as being held in Roanoke, Va., city jail. He was described as expected to be charged with the murder of Virginia Morrell when extradited to Pennsylvania.