A man who was sentenced to 60 years in prison in 1995 for beating and raping an 89-year-old Texarkana woman was recently denied parole.
Roy Gene Munson Jr., 54, was up for consideration by the Arkansas Parole Board last month. The victim's son, granddaughter and Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Chuck Black attended Munson's hearing and voiced strong opposition to his early release. Black oversaw prosecution of Munson for Miller County in 1995 and helped fashion the plea bargain that spared the victim from testifying.
Black and the victim's son said Munson, who has a history of sex crimes and a documented preference for elderly women, is still young enough to present a threat. The victim's son has traveled to Little Rock and attended Munson's parole hearings since Munson became eligible for parole in 2009.
"He won't get another chance for two more years," Black said. "I have already told the victim's family that I'll be glad to go and support their protest of parole at any and all future hearings."
In an interview before Munson's parole hearing in May, the victim's son said his mother -- who lived independently, was active in her church and enjoyed home gardening -- was never again able to live on her own before her death about five years later. The son said his mother required surgeries to address physical damage caused by the attack.
Black said Munson was sentenced to several years in prison in California for a sexual assault involving an elderly woman there before moving to Miller County.
Metro on 06/07/2015