News Update
Collin County child molester gets three life sentences without parole
Shaun Murray
Staff report
A man found guilty of repeated sexual contact with a child received three life sentences without parole Thursday, according to a release from the Collin County District Attorney's office.
Courtroom testimony showed that Shaun Murray, 35, of Wylie would wake up his brother's three-year-old step-daughter and perform sexual acts on her while babysitting at her McKinney home. He taught her to perform sexual acts on him while her younger brother was asleep and the victim’s mother and his brother were at work. The abuse continued for a year.
The victim’s mother became concerned when her daughter’s behavior continued to get worse, and a redness and pain in her vaginal area did not subside. When Murray called the child’s mother and told her that her daughter had urinated on herself, the mother decided to find out what was happening.
The victim’s mother took the victim to the emergency room at Children’s Medical Center that night, but they discovered no physical trauma, which is common in cases of abused children. They referred the mother and victim to the REACH Clinic, where an exam was performed. McKinney police and Child Protective Services became involved the same day. The child described several graphic and detailed incidents of the abuse in the forensic interview.
The victim’s family later learned Murray was a registered sex offender.
Murray was convicted on one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child and two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child under six years old.
After Murray was found guilty, former Plano Detective Mike Johnson testified that he investigated several cases in the mid-1990’s in which Murray was identified as having exposed himself and masturbated in front of several children and adults in his neighborhood and at his school.
The jury sentenced Murray to automatic life sentences on the two charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child under six years old, and also assessed a life sentence on the continuous sexual assault of a young child.
Courtroom testimony showed that Shaun Murray, 35, of Wylie would wake up his brother's three-year-old step-daughter and perform sexual acts on her while babysitting at her McKinney home. He taught her to perform sexual acts on him while her younger brother was asleep and the victim’s mother and his brother were at work. The abuse continued for a year.
The victim’s mother became concerned when her daughter’s behavior continued to get worse, and a redness and pain in her vaginal area did not subside. When Murray called the child’s mother and told her that her daughter had urinated on herself, the mother decided to find out what was happening.
The victim’s mother took the victim to the emergency room at Children’s Medical Center that night, but they discovered no physical trauma, which is common in cases of abused children. They referred the mother and victim to the REACH Clinic, where an exam was performed. McKinney police and Child Protective Services became involved the same day. The child described several graphic and detailed incidents of the abuse in the forensic interview.
The victim’s family later learned Murray was a registered sex offender.
Murray was convicted on one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child and two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child under six years old.
After Murray was found guilty, former Plano Detective Mike Johnson testified that he investigated several cases in the mid-1990’s in which Murray was identified as having exposed himself and masturbated in front of several children and adults in his neighborhood and at his school.
The jury sentenced Murray to automatic life sentences on the two charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child under six years old, and also assessed a life sentence on the continuous sexual assault of a young child.
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