Suspect accused of abuse found dead
A New Boston, Texas, man accused of sexually abusing young girls was found dead in his home Monday, according to Bowie County officials.
The body of John Markus Littleton, 71, has been sent to Dallas for an autopsy, New Boston Chief of Police Garry McCrary said. McCrary said an investigation into the death is ongoing and pending results of Littleton’s autopsy.
Littleton was arrested April 24 by members of the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigations Division for the alleged sexual abuse of a girl who was allegedly given cash and drugs by Littleton for sex on multiple occasions from January 2013 to February 2015, according to probable cause affidavits used to create the following account.
When investigators arrested Littelon for the alleged abuse of the girl referred to in court documents as “victim #1,” they allegedly found video evidence of Littleton’s abuse of another girl.
A videotape labeled with a female first name was allegedly collected from a dresser drawer in Littleton’s bedroom. The VHS tape allegedly contained three different recordings of Littleton having sex with an obviously underage girl in a motel room.
Investigators were able to determine the date the recordings were made because of a television news broadcast in the background announcing that Lisa Marie Presley had filed for a divorce from Michael Jackson. The announcement was made Jan. 18, 1996.
Investigators were also able to identify the person depicted in the video with Littleton and determined she was 14 at the time she was allegedly molested. The woman, now 36, is referred to in a second probable cause affidavit as “victim #5” and allegedly has told investigators Littleton began sexually assaulting her when she was 11.
Affidavits in the case refer to “victim #2” as having been sexually assaulted by Littleton as well. At a recent court date, 202nd District Judge John Tidwell ordered Littelton to remain on house arrest, wear a GPS leg monitor and have no access to computers or minors under the age of 18.
Littleton was allegedly found dead in his home Monday in the 100 block of Meadow Drive. llarowe@texarkanagazette.com