NORFOLK, Va. - The body of a missing Virginia Beach woman was found late Saturday night.
According to detectives, they have identified the body of a woman found in the 1000 block of Galt Street as, Marie D. Covington, a missing woman from Virginia Beach.
Around 11:30 p.m. on August 20, police responded to the 1000 block of Galt Street to assist another law enforcement agency. When officers arrived, they found an unresponsive woman.
The woman, Marie D. Covington, 40, of Virginia Beach, was pronounced dead at the scene.
As a result of their investigation, detectives have charged 43-year-old Gary Morton, with second-degree murder and use of a firearm.
Court documents obtained by News 3 Monday, are shedding light on the moments leading up to the gruesome discovery.
The criminal complaint reveals how Norfolk Police linked Morton to Covington’s murder.
It began early Saturday morning on Aug. 20.
Around 3:15 a.m., court documents show that a state trooper attempted to pull Morton over for a traffic stop in Chesapeake. State Police said the driver of a 2016 Ford SUV refused to stop and instead, sped away toward I-64 west in Chesapeake.
A police chase then followed. Morton was reportedly driving 115 miles per hour before exiting at the interstate at Chesapeake Boulevard in Norfolk.
According to the paperwork, Morton pulled into a junkyard then got out of the SUV and tried to run away. He was arrested moments later and taken into custody.
Inside the car, officers said they found two concealed semi-automatic pistols, and an open bottle of alcohol. They also found a cell phone on the driver’s seat of the SUV belonging to Morton.
Several hours later, around 10:30 p.m., State Police issued an alert for Covington after she went missing in Virginia Beach last Wednesday.
But less than a couple hours after that alert went out, it was canceled, and Covington was found dead.
Norfolk Police discovered her body late Saturday night on Galt Street off Tidewater Drive in the Olde Huntersville neighborhood.
News 3 went to Covington’s Virginia Beach home Monday afternoon. Neighbors told us they’re sad to hear the disturbing news. They say she was a mother and kind woman.
Employees at Wawa on Holland Road in Virginia Beach confirmed Covington worked there.
The relationship between Covington and Morton is unclear.
Morton was arraigned in Chesapeake City Court Monday morning on the following charges: possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; eluding police/disregard of law enforcement command to stop; DWI; reckless driving; and driving without a license.
Morton is currently being held in the Chesapeake City Jail without bond.
He’ll be in Norfolk City Court for an arraignment this Thursday for the murder charge and use of a firearm charge.
Court records show Morton has charges pending in Norfolk for strangulation, abduction, assault and battery, and damage of property that stem from 2020.
Detectives have not released the motive or any additional circumstances surrounding this incident. Virginia Beach Police Department released the following statement on Tuesday:
On August 18, 2022, officers from the Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) were dispatched to Thalia Trace Drive for a Missing Person call for service at 10:25 p.m. The responding officer made a Missing Person’s report for Marie Covington, which included entering the vehicle she was last seen in with Gary Morton the previous day, August 17th, into NCIC.
On August 20, 2022, Troopers with the Virginia State Police (VSP) attempted to initiate a traffic stop for a moving violation. The vehicle refused to stop and the VSP pursued the vehicle until it came to a stop in the City of Norfolk. The operator and sole occupant of the vehicle, Gary Morton, M/43, was taken into custody. At that time of the arrest, VSP discovered that the vehicle Morton was operating was connected to Covington, who was listed as missing. The VSP immediately contacted the VBPD and advised them of the incident.
VBPD Detectives responded and continued their investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ms. Covington. As VBPD detectives investigated further, facts and circumstances began to indicate possible foul play was involved in the disappearance of Ms. Covington which led to VBPD requesting that VSP issue an Ashanti Alert on August 20, 2022.
As the investigation commenced, VBPD detectives received information that Ms. Covington’s remains could be located in Norfolk, VA. Also on August 20, 2022, Members of the VBPD, with the assistance of the Norfolk Police Department (NPD), responded to an address in Norfolk where Ms. Covington was found deceased from apparent homicidal violence. NPD Detectives have assumed the lead for the active homicide investigation.
The Virginia Beach Police Department has opened an inquiry into the timeline of our initial response, reporting, and public notification.
