Parkman murder suspect enters not guilty plea

Linda Coan O’Kresik | BDN

In Superior Court — Robert Burton, right, who is accused of killing his girlfriend and then hiding in the woods for 68 days, enters a courtroom on Monday in Piscataquis County Superior Court in Dover-Foxcroft. Burton entered not-guilty pleas on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and murder.

By Nok Noi Ricker
BDN Staff

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Robert Burton, the local man who police say took the life of his ex-girlfriend in early June in Parkman and led them on a lengthy manhunt, pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm Monday in Piscataquis County Superior Court.

He went before Justice Robert Mullen with Ellsworth attorney Jeffrey Toothaker at his side and his father in the first row of the courtroom.

Burton, 38, also known as Robert G. Elliot, is facing a murder charge in connection with the homicide of Stephanie Ginn Gebo, a single mother of two, whose body was discovered in her Parkman home on June 5.

She broke up with him the week before and was so afraid that she was sleeping with a gun, the affidavit states. According to Piscataquis County Sheriff John Goggin, Burton used the weapon to kill Ginn Gebo after she wounded him as he broke into her home.

Burton turned himself in on Aug. 11 after the longest active manhunt for a person suspected of murder in Maine on record, according to the Maine State Police.

Burton on Monday was wearing shackles on his hands and feet and an orange Piscataquis County Jail sweatshirt and pants when escorted into the courtroom by two jail officials.

The judge scheduled a conference call between himself, Toothaker and Assistant Attorney General John Alsop, who is prosecuting the case, for February and said that since “there has been no request for a Harnish [bail] hearing at this time,” Burton will remain at Piscataquis County Jail. The prosecutor, Detective Jen Fiske of the Maine State Police and the defense also will get a look at Ginn Gebo’s house on Monday, it was announced in court.

Roger Burton, Robert Burton’s father, said before the court proceeding started that he and his wife visited his son in jail over the holidays. He didn’t want to comment on how his son was doing.

“I’m just here for support,” he said.

Vance Ginn, Ginn Gebo’s father, and his wife, Angel, and his daughter’s mother and an aunt also were in attendance at court.

Before the proceeding began Ginn said the first Christmas without his daughter was hard, but he added, “at least we have the grandchildren.”

He said after court ended that it was “uncomfortable” being in the same room with the man charged with his daughter’s death, but that “at least he’s where he needs to be.”

He said he trusts the system and believes that justice will be served.

Some have questioned why Ginn Gebo didn’t have a restraining order against Burton, Angel Ginn said.

“Stephanie didn’t have a protection order because she didn’t have faith in them,” she said.

“It’s a piece of paper,” Vance Ginn said. “We need to do more.”

Ginn said he’s been in contact with the Maine chapter of Parents of Murdered Children and is working to get a program started that would put ankle bracelets on those charged with domestic violence crimes who are out on bail.

Just before Burton was brought into the courtroom, Alsop told Ginn Gebo’s family that the next court date would be a conference call in February and that a trial may occur later in the new year.

“It will be August at the earliest,” Alsop said.