DOVER-FOXCROFT, Maine — 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.
Burton 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.
Ginn Gebo broke up with Burton the week before and was so afraid that she was sleeping with a gun, an 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 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 shackles were not removed for the hearing, which only lasted a few minutes.
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 no bail hearing was requested “at this time,” Burton will remain at Piscataquis County Jail. The prosecutor, Detective Jen Fiske of the Maine State Police and the defense also planned to 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 their 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, his wife, Angel, and his daughter’s mother, Christine Knapp, 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 has 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 a trial may occur later in the new year.
“It will be August at the earliest,” Alsop said.