1985: Stephen Morin, serial killer convert

On this date in 1985, Texas executed serial killer Stephen Morin for murdering and robbing Carrie Marie Scott in 1981 — one of at least three, and up to thirty, of his victims, most of whom were (unlike Scott) abducted for rape and kindred brutalizing.

Just the sixth person executed in Texas under its modern death penalty regime, Morin was an IV drug addict.

Death chamber technicians required 40-plus minutes to bore through the resultant scar tissue well enough to poison Morin. He’s been a bullet point on the anti-lethal injection brief ever since. (Oddly, Morin’s execution is not on this list of recent botches.)

But Morin’s most prominent afterlife is a very different object lesson: not medical ethics, but spiritual warfare.

It seems the last woman he kidnapped, Margy Mayfield, survived the encounter by converting the desperate fugitive to evangelical Christianity; this story is still stocked and sold by Focus on the Family. This is Mayfield’s own account of their meeting.

[audio:http://withusisgod.org/wp-content/uploads/audio/margy-mayfield.mp3]

To judge by his last statement, Morin took his conversion to the gurney.

But others who knew Morin better in life (and, creepily, helped him soundproof his murder-mobile) … are a bit more skeptical about him.

On this day..

73 thoughts on “1985: Stephen Morin, serial killer convert

  1. Whoever defends murderous scumbags like Morin should most definitely burn in Hell with him!

    • I think that no Christian defends what Morin did. What Christians do say is that the worst of sinners can find forgiveness and fellowship with God. (View “The Perfect Stranger” to get an explanation of what I’m saying.) Even a total monster like Hitler or Himmler could have forgiveness and fellowship with God, if they sincerely confessed their sin and surrendered to God through Jesus.
      So take care and God bless you.

  2. I am a true surviving victim of Morin in Corpus Christi, Texas before he was caught. I do thinj he beca.e a Christian. He was a vicious monster who did horrible rhings to me and rhat include death.

      • Damn like my name is suzanne murrey My mother’s Patricia knew him better than anyohe was a changed soul. He used to call me Sis. And I totally believe him.
        You never know who and what will change a person’s life. But when god’s in control anything can happen.

  3. He did not convert because that requires repentance and restitution. He could have given closure to thecoother families but chose not to. He did want to impress Margaret Mayfield and make her think her efforts were not wasted but her tetimony and presence was simply a force that confronted and convicted him. Conversion no, not a chance.He simply found someone he could not con. I do want to point out thatvit was only by Divine Intervention that he was caught. This happens often in horrific cases. In the Malvo case recently it wasnt until. Heard his aunt sing Great is thy faithfulness that he admitted Muhammed had masterminded the shootings. Before that moment Muhammed was not charged because his teenage accomplish was covering for him.

    • Only God knows the heart of man! Look at the thief on the cross who Jesus said..’this day you will be with me in Paradise!
      Can you then explain this. Ate you greater than God?

    • How do you know that he did not repent? I assume he did. In either case, it does not matter what either of is think. But your implication is correct. Repentance is necessary.

  4. As a convicted murderer was led down the passage and passed the courtyard where the hanging took place. He asked why the jailer carried on past the door. The jailer pointed to the distant hill where he could see 3 Crosses. The jailer said ‘do u see the middle Cross…well on that Cross died The One who paid the price for u…u r free..yr slate is washed as white as snow by The One Jesus Your Savior whose blood was shed for u even b4 u were born..Halleluyah…JUST RECEIVE BELIEVE AND CONFESS

  5. When I was 15 1976 morin kidnapped and brutalized my 14yr old girlfriend. The fact that people like morin exist. Along wit the idea of your goD allowing what happened to her. Proves to me beyond all doubt. There is no god. If this god was testing her faith, he should’ve tested mine. I already knew god was fiction for people of little faith in themselves. Morins conversion is too convenient. I remember the moment i read in the local paper of his execution. My feelings of relief and vindication pale in the shadow o my prior desire for swift and vengeful retribution. He deserved to suffer at least as long as her lifetime of painful memories and pay for the theft of her youth and trust in others.

    • I totally understand how you would say what you now believe but could never understand the pain and loss of innocence your friend went through. I do understand, for me, that God is real. He has given man authority and free will on this earth. We are to emulate Gods love and compassion toward each other.

      The real enemy, pure evil, satan, wants us to destroy us all. God tugs at our hearts and mind and it is up to us to do wants right and follow him. Satan influences us to do what’s wrong.

      Make no mistake, evil things happen, and don’t please God, but God gives us all our opportunity to be in his kingdom and do his will. Gods perfect will is for no one to perish, but gives us a free choice to make our own decisions.

      Evil people exist and evil things happen because this world is corrupt and will remain that way until the day of the Lord. Then and only then will these evil things cease to be.

      Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment. He said love God with all your heart all your mind and all your soul. He then said ‘love your neighbor as yourself’. If we did this we wouldn’t see what we are seeing

      • But if God is all powerful why allow Satan to exist? If God is supposedly our “father” what kind of father would want to “test” his love by having his daughter tortured, raped and murdered? If God was in the room when that happened and didn’t stop it he’s either not all powerful and all good, or all powerful and not all good. I can see the view from the point of the killer, free will corrupted by a “satan” that is at least as powerful as God (another paradox) but the victims who believe faithfully in God and are tortured, murdered and raped anyway, why would he sit and watch that happen? Answer me that and I’ll convert today. Why would God watch as the BTK killer tortured and raped, and murdered a woman in his church-his place of worship-and took photos to revisit the crime later? Why allow it? Why allow satan to corrupt us unless satan is as powerful as himself? Why allow his devout followers to suffer?

        • God gave humans dominion, rulership, over this earth, and His power does not mean that He can break His Word. He cannot lie. He cannot break a promise. God combats evil through people who serve Him, and there aren’t enough of them to deal with everything evil that Satan prompts people to do. Jesus called Satan “the ruler of this earth.” When God takes the earth back, then He will rule it with His people, and Satan will be cast out into his eternal punishment.

      • But if God is all powerful why allow Satan to exist? If God is supposedly our “father” what kind of father would want to “test” his love by having his daughter tortured, raped and murdered? If God was in the room when that happened and didn’t stop it he’s either not all powerful and all good, or all powerful and not all good. I can see the view from the point of the killer, free will corrupted by a “satan” that is at least as powerful as God (another paradox) but the victims who believe faithfully in God and are tortured, murdered and raped anyway, why would he sit and watch that happen? Answer me that and I’ll convert today. Why would God watch as the BTK killer tortured and raped, and murdered a woman in his church-his place of worship-and took photos to revisit the crime later? Why allow it? Why allow satan to corrupt us unless satan is as powerful as himself? Why allow his devout followers to suffer?

        • Yes, I am a surviving v8ctim of Steven Peter Morin in Corpus Christi, Texas. I came very close to death by this maniac. He tortured, raped, and almost killed me when i was 28 years old. It was only with divine intervention that I am alive and healrhy. I do rhink it is possible he accepted Christ and I too am a Christian. I beliwve he probably killed about 40 women or more.

          • Dear Sharon,

            Dear Sharon

            Sounds like a horrible ordeal. I am a professor in the Netherlands and I am researching what I hope will be the definitive book on Morin. If you are willing to share with me your experienceI would be very grateful. I don’t think your experience is well-known to anyone. Kind wishes,

            Mike R.
            priveemike@gmail.com

    • Dear Martin

      I am a professor in the Netherlands and I am researching what I hope will be the definitive book on Morin. If you are willing to share what you know, I would be very grateful. Kind wishes,

      Mike R.
      priveemike@gmail.com

    • 1> God would have wanted to reach Him much earlier but could not find a willing person to help him.
      2> Millions today will read this story on the Internet and believe in the Love of God and not fear death and hell.
      3> This is a powerful testimony of the changing power of God’s love. Jihads who kill to go to heaven will seek Christ. All Faiths will take this story seriously and seek Christ.
      4> To all the people who this man killed and brutalized, their lives get Justice and Purpose. They might in some sense have saved millions from Jihad in being eternal proof of the power of God’s love over hate and evil.
      5. It would have been better if those 40 lives were not lost and if this man was not a criminal. The world we live in can be very evil.
      To destroy hate and evil, we will have to let Love have the last say in the matter.

      • I agree. let love have the last say in the matter. Especially when love of the victims is at least a little greater than love of the perpitraitors. A just punishment is not revenge it is accontability.
        Knowing what a just punishment is is an Art not a Science.

    • Your comment is almost funny. What do you expect? … to sincerely come to God, then commit more crimes.

  6. I just finished watching the story on Stephan Morin. I only wish this sick idiot would have been tortured just like his victims. Just to think this idiot was executed on my B-Day.

  7. I found a webpage where Margaret Mayfield , who was obducted and spent ten hours with him, talks about the events. She confirmed ( in the end of the recording, in a later telephone call) that Steven Morin told her later , when she visited him in prison, he heard this voice in the car, saying that this was the last time he have a chance to respond to the call to repentance .

    I do think the repentance was real, he repented and even through his example a warden came to faith, as you will hear in the end. People who read this and hear this tape will find it maybe too weird or too good to be true. It is a completely different language and life this Margeret is speaking and talking of, I do testify that this kind of life and belief in The Lord is real. It is not normal , it is not common, it is a change of heart and mind and thought life. To be able to help a serial killer and feel love and finally even be an instrument to his radical conversion and becoming a new man, that is only possible when the One that makes this happen , God allmighty, changed you.
    May that happen to many many , if not all people of America.

  8. I read that he said he didn’t remember any if his killings except the one he did last, and said it was te drugs. But a son of one of the women he travelled with said he carpeted his van to make it noise free and that he apparently was aware of his deads. Why didn’t he confess all his deeds to the authorities? Did he meet the Tulsa minister before his arrest he was wanting to meet? Was he baptized one week later after his arrest? The report by this minister talks about that he heard he had to repent while in the car from a voice he heard, like the voice speaking to Saul of Tarsus in the bible , if this was so I believe it, but I can’t find this story elsewhere

  9. After listening to the testimony of the woman he abducted I agree his conversion was genuine. I concur with Kevin Sullivan, there were too much consistency with actions that didnt have to occur. He could have appealed. Usually when someone’s lies or conning people its to gain something. I have searched officer Soliz on the subject and can’t find anything. It’s been four years since this comment was made and I am interested in what the officer has to say.I do understand how hard it is to accept his conversion and without understanding Gods mercy its impossible

    • So true ….many angry about what he did …understandably …but I beleive this man did accept the Lord …and anyone’s heart can change even a seral killer

  10. I am not saying that this person was saved, but if Jesus can save any person, He could’ve saved him. It is possible. The rejection of Jesus is the only unforgivable sin. It is a death sentence in itself.

    • That’s murderous talk right there mate..out of the heart the mouth speaks. Hate in the heart lead Stephen on to do what he did.
      Wonder who caused him such depth of Hate?
      Anyway..I think you should get some help with your anger before it causes you probs. We don’t need to read your anger spewed out in public!

        • They are not defending what he did. But if Morin could not be saved, that is, come to God, then no one could be saved. And if that is the case, then Christianity is a waist of time and Jesus’ sacrifice was for nothing.

    • Hopefully God puts as much effort and even more effort into healing his surviving victims as he put into saving his wicked soul from hell.

  11. Brought to my attention by one of the area cops who was standing by for arrest. If we repent God proises to save us from the “second death”. If he was sincere in his convertion then he will be at peace – if not his true character would have leaked out during the 5 years in prison. God does not rob society of their justice and so the execution was just and then he will stand before God as we all will and there will be true Justice just not we may want. As a former cop myself and a past resident of several towns in TX I find this story very interesting.

  12. Pingback: These murderers are now in heaven; many of their victims are in hell | The Atheist Papers

  13. I believe there will be many suprises in heaven. We all are infected with the same terminal disease as steven. But Steven was offered the remedy by an obedient servant of God and he took it.

  14. Wes, I am going to try and reach you. My father was the attorney who was court appointed to take on this case. I was living in Pt. Aransas at the time and my good friend Sarah was in fact with Stephen through the killings. I am told she was way too scared to leave, thus she got life in prison. I am trying to find the file(s) my father kept of Stephen. In the end, Stephen gave my dad his bible.

    • Dear Neesy,

      My name is Stephen Oxenham and I am a television producer for October Films in the United Kingdom in London England. I am currently working on a new serial killer series for a major US network and we are covering the story of Stephen Morin and wondered if I could possibly speak to you about your fathers involvement in the case. If you could email me on stephen.oxenham@ocoberfilms.co.uk that would be greatly appreciated.

      Very best wishes,

      Stephen

    • Dear Nessy

      was your Dad Peter Torres Jr. or one of the others who represented him? If you have files left by your Dad please make sure you preserve them, it is important evidence because very little remains from or about Morin and a lot of the files have been destroyed. I am a professor in the Netherlands and I am researching what I hope will be the definitive book on Morin. If you are willing to share any information you have I would be very grateful.

      Kind wishes,

      Mike R.
      priveemike@gmail.com

  15. Anyone who was tied to Morin, especially you Officer Soliz, would like to contact me regarding the case, please email me at wesley228 at gmail.com

  16. Pingback: ExecutedToday.com » 10 executions that defined the 1980s

  17. Here is something that nobody knows we met him and a woman named Rita she was from New York and owned a antique store Little did she know Steve would try to Blow her head off in front me 6 months pregnant the Dad and his Brother and Sarah the woman who would end up being with Steve on his finial killing.Back to Rita we knew her for about a week in which she told us some Crazy stories !She was a Nice person we suggested she go back home ASAP Anyway that night if it wasn’t for the Brother telling Steve” Man cant You See were trying to Watch TV” ! He’d would have shot her in the head no problem!I was scared !all i could think of was getting shot in my stomach.I often think how she may be doing! that was just the start of it!

    • Renee, this is really Interesting! It matches with what I know, namely that his companion in 1984 was Rita Clark. Also I read that he conned a woman who owned an antique store into selling up giving him the money and travelling with him. Maybe they are the same Rita? This is a really important piece of info that you have. If you now any more please contact me because I am researching what I hope will be the definitive book on Morin.
      Kind wishes
      Mike R.
      priveemike@gmail.com

  18. In the spirit of “for what it’s worth” I pass along the following:

    In my years of ministry, I have dealt with thousands of people, from sweet little old ladies, to brutal killers, and if there is one thing I have learned about people, it is this: The more hardened a person is, the more difficult they are to reach. Hardened individuals, and especially murderers, in the midst of their criminal activity, do not do the things this man did without some type of transformation occurring. That she survived the encounter is the first sign of something positive happening in his life. The next was his complete willingness to talk to her; the next was his calling out to God; the next was his letting her go; the next sign was his allowing himself to be captured without putting up a resistance; and finally, his apparent continence in whatever happened to him that day, by leading the warden of the prison to the person he’d come to believe in.

    So here we have a very odd story of an extremely brutal killer of women, coming to a cross roads in life, and suddenly his life is changed. So do I believe this conversion was genuine? I would have to say, based on the aforementioned facts, yes.

    All of that said: He was still a potentially dangerous man, for we cannot know, had he remained free, what other factors out there could have swayed him from his apparently new-found faith. Perhaps nothing, but we will never know. And because he committed these terrible crimes, he still had a penalty to pay, so the state of Texas did the correct thing in putting him to death.

    As always, my heart goes out to the women he murdered, and the lives of the living he ultimately destroyed.

    • Well it was the same as Paul. The disciples didn’t first want to know him for fear of Him & His cruel behaviour..having Christians rounded up and killed. And he never mixed with the disciples for many years.
      I believe Stephens conversion was a radical change & if God transformed Him then He could also have done much through His life.
      Wow..the wonderful mercy of God..for Stephen to finally know peace in His life. What torturous things happened in his young life that caused him such hatred?
      I imagine he spent much of his last years praying for the families of the victims whose lives he stole. Praying for the salvation of their souls because without Jesus death & resurrection we are without hope.
      Life has many choices but eternity has only two.
      Gods mercy is far beyond our understanding but it is for all and I’m so thankful because I needed it thats for sure!
      The Bible says that ‘the heart is desparately wicked who can know it’.

    • No way was his conversion genuine. Here’s the proof: Morin was a suspect in about 30 other murders other than those he was executed for. He refused to discuss them with investigators, claiming he didn’t remember if he killed those people. You believe that? Also, at his execution, Morin had the nerve to pray for forgiveness for the executioners! Nothing about the unfathomable pain he caused the victims and their families. Remember he is known as the “Chameleon Killer”. His conversion was likely just an act by a sociopathic killer and liar who liked to lie and pretend to be someone he wasn’t and trick others into trusting him.. It was perfectly within his character.

  19. My name is Victor Gramrosa,Cheryl Ann Daniel was my girlfriend for almost 3 years up unt the day of her disapearance when we separated . Moron abducted and raped and tortured her beginning that night for two to three weeks. They found his wallet by her body 6 months after. Morin was a monster who got only a small portion of what he deserved. I would like to thank the arresting officer Jessie Soliz. I would also like to express my sincere condolences to the other family and friends of the victims of this monster. Please write the ACLU and let them know this man was not a botched exicution. It was a succesful one They could use someone innocent of murder for thier poster boy. 30 years later I still think of Cheri every day. I have no closure , just a big empty hole where my heart used to be.

    • And all it takes to heal that heart is to forgive the perpetrator. Hate is a heavy load to carry. It steals YOUR joy; can make you bitter. Believe in Christ? He requests that you forgive. Stephen will have to face his own judgement. But if his conversion is genuine then, as the Bible tells us, his slate is wiped clean. And if this is so, then you might have something to answer for at the judgement seat. Please leave that burden at the feet of Jesus.

      • Leanard I too believe in Jesus and the power of forgiveness. I appreciate you want to speak the truth to this man. But please keep in mind he has a mountain of pain. To tell him that if he forgives all that pain will go away im not sure. He has grief. Grief isnt unforgiveness. He misses her, he loved her. I think he deserves a bit of compassion. We really mustnt judge peoples pain. We can pray God help them to forgive, but first they may need some understandong and love in order to be able to. God is not a hard task master. Hes a gentle friend, always there willing to help us toward the ultimate goal of letting go of hatred and hurt that others have perpetrated toward us. I pray for him to realise Jesus is your friend Victor, there to talk to whenever youre ready. He understands the pain you are in and have gone through. Im so sorry 🙁 words are just not enough, my heart crys for you.

    • Dear Victor
      that was a truly horrendous experience for her and for you. If you are willing to share any info please contact me because I am researching what I hope will be the definitive book on Morin and his crimes. I am a professor in the Netherlands. Thanks so much.

      Mike R.
      priveemike@gmail.com

  20. I cannot even begin to imagine the deep anger and sorrow that the family and friends of all of Stephen Morin’s victims have to live with day in and day out. My sincerest condolences. As for Officer Soliz, I have no doubt that you witnessed a demon-filled man…I’ve seen possessed people and it is truly undeniable.

    In no way, do I want to minimize the pain, suffering or experiences, or all who have been affected by Stephen Morin . My heart truly breaks for you. I do believe in the power of our All Mighty God and I pray that He bring you a sense of peace and love again. I believe that Jesus died on the cross as an ultimate sacrifice for our sins. He has taken all our sins on the cross and we need to forgive in order to be forgiven. When you forgive, you are by no means condoning the behaviour of the the person you are forgiving. But rather, you are releasing yourself from the bondage that this hatred is holding you in. I know it’s not easy…are things worth having ever easy? I just hope that you can come to that place.

    • I fid it much more comforting to believe in a hell for people like Morin. And I am a Christian, but I am very skeptical but this monster’s supposed conversion.

  21. This is interesting case, in the morbid sick and twisted isle. 40 minutes looking for a vein wasn’t enough

  22. I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT CARRIE MARIE SCOTT TODAY, SHE WAS LIKE A SISTER TO ME. SHE WAS MY SISTERS BEST FRIEND, SHE HAD A HARD LIFE GROWING UP. MY PARENTS TOOK HER IN WHEN SHE WAS A YOUNG TEEN. SHE CALLED MY PARENTS MOM AND DAD. THEN SHE MOVED TO SAN ANTONIO WITH MY SISTER CIANNE. I WISH I COULD HAVE BEEN AT THE TRIAL I WAS YOUNG AT THE TIME. THANK GOD FOR THE LETHAL INJECTION. CARRIE WAS TAKEN FROM MY FAMILY AND HER FAMILY. LISTENING TO THESE MESSAGES AND RECORDINGS ARE AMAZING. MORIN WAS A TERROR TO OUR SOCIETY. HE WAS PUT WHERE HE BELONGS.
    CARRIE MARIE SCOTT WE STILL LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU.
    LOVE ROBBIN

  23. I served as a juror on his murder trial of Carrie Marie Scott. After all these years I still find it hard to believe some of the things about him that came out in the trial. That experience haunts me to this day.

    I, too, am interested in what Officer Soliz has to say. I would like to compare his thoughts and impressions with my own —

    • We’re you talking about ‘the things that came out’ as the things he did to his victim or were you meaning other unrelated things that add up to his whole story?

    • Dear Ruth
      I hope you might be willing to email me about your experience as juror. I am a professor in the Netherlands and am writing a book about Morin. I wold be very interested to hear from you. Kind regards. Prof. dr. Michael Richardson,
      priveemike@gmail.com

  24. I can’t speak for KYGB or any other individual commenter on this blog, Jesse, but as the writer of the piece and general maintainer of the site, I have no direct connection to Morin or anyone involved in his life or case. It’s a blog about interesting death penalty cases; Morin’s is interesting.

  25. If you don’t mind me asking, how do you tie into Morin? He is one of many incidents that haunt me to this day and although I remember him as if it were yesterday, I have notes from the night I came in contact with him. I’m not sure how or just how soon but rest assured that it’s forthcoming. Thanks for the reply…J

    • I know this is many years later from your comment..but just incase ..I have to ask..is there any chance that you may have been viewing him still through the lens of his prior murderous & abusively violating ways. Could it be that you could not see him as transformed in His soul & that you thought he was still the same rogue & being a deceiving conman.? Could it be that you may have got him wrong at that very stage of his life?
      It was the same with Paul in the Bible..one moment he was having Christians rounded up & killed then on his way home he has an encounter with Christ & was dramatically converted..going on to be a mighty apostle of God..to the writing of alot of the NT books..through Gods Spirit. The other disciples wouldn’t have anything to do with untill year’s later when they realized he truely was a convert!
      Thank you.

  26. Jesse, thanks for your comments. Where do you intend to expound upon your remarks? Would you provide more information in the comments section here?

    Kindly let us know. Sounds like it would be a great read.

  27. I saw a different side to Stephen Peter Morin. As the Austin Police Officer who arrested, transported and booked Morin into jail I spent hours with a Murder and Con Artist who would say what ever it took to win the confidence of the person he engaged.

    I have kept my silence but now that my profession nears its end I feel I must reveal my small part in this demons existence. The things he said, the behaviors encountered are worth hearing.

    Jesse Soliz
    Austin, Texas

    • Dear Jesse,

      My name is Stephen Oxenham and I am a producer working for October Films in London England on a new Television series about serial killers for a major television US network and are interested in covering the case of Stephen Morin. I would very much like to speak with you about your personal experience in dealing with Stephen Morin. If you could contact me on stephen.oxenham@octoberfilms.co.uk I would love to give you a call.

      Very best wishes,

      Stephen

    • Dear Jesse,
      yes, it would be very interesting to hear what you say! You may have seen from previous posts here that I am writing a book on Morin and am interested in any background that anyone can provide. Thanks so much if you are willing to help.
      Mike R.
      priveemike@gmail.com

      • Mike I might be able to help my mother was his spiritual mother My parents tried to adopt him but did not ha the time before he was executed. She was one of the people that attended his execution and he blew her a kiss. He called me the little sis my name is suzanne murrey and my parents are jonte and Patricia murrey

Comments are closed.