Winters ()
WASHINGTON — Texas investigators believe that fugitive Marlon James Winters is still living or working with servicemembers in Europe, and hope that someone overseas can help them finally capture the accused rapist.
Winters, a former soldier charged with molesting and raping two young girls, has been on the run since 2000.
But K.C. Breshears of Texas’ Orange County district attorney’s office said investigators have information placing Winters in either Germany or Amsterdam in recent years, and are encouraging troops and expatriates to contact police if they have seen him.
"This is the 10-year anniversary of his crimes," Breshears said. "These girls need closure in this case."
Winters left the Army in 1998 after a tour with the Mannheim-based 574th Supply Company. Within a few weeks, he moved to Texas and befriended a neighborhood family with two daughters, ages 9 and 6.
Orange Country police say over the next year he used that friendship to eventually assault the girls, then threatened to kill their mother if they reported the crimes. They still did, and Winters fled town just days before his trial began.
At the time Winters was 5-foot-9 and weighed 150 pounds, with a small scar on the right of his upper lip. He previously was married to a German woman and speaks fluent German.
In the past Winters has worked as a United Service Organizations manager, construction worker and rock drummer. Breshears said Interpol has been searching for Winters, likely making it difficult for him to move freely across national borders in Europe.
Breshears asked anyone with information about Winters to call 409-883-6764 or e-mail him at kbreshears@co.orange.tx.us.
