Suspect in 1979 Cape Girardeau murder dies

The suspect in a 1979 Cape Girardeau murder died Saturday afternoon at an area hospital, Cape Girardeau County Coroner John Clifton said.

Max Ellison, 61, was pronounced dead at 4:45 p.m., Clifton said.

Ellison faced charges of first-degree murder and first-degree robbery in connection with the death of Deborah L. Martin.

Before he was hospitalized, Ellison had been incarcerated on a $10 million cash-only bond in the Cape Girardeau County Jail as he awaited a March 29 jury trial.

Since Ellison had been in the custody of law enforcement at the time of his death, an autopsy will be conducted as per the policies of the coroner's office, Clifton said.

Ellison's death appears to have been due to natural causes, Clifton said.

Martin was found dead Sept. 16, 1979, at her home and business at 605 Broadway in Cape Girardeau. She had been strangled before falling about 14 feet from a residential balcony in the building.

Ellison was a former Stoddard County sheriff's deputy who was incarcerated in a federal prison out of state for kidnapping in 1985 when he called former Stoddard County sheriff Ralph Mouser and admitted to killing Martin over money, according to a taped confession recently played in court.

In letters to the Southeast Missourian, Ellison denied that confession was true, saying it was part of an escape plan he had in mind.

Ellison was arrested April 10 in connection with Martin's murder after a former boyfriend of Martin's agreed to testify in the case.

At the time of his arrest, Ellison had been living in Nixa, Mo., with his ex-wife, with whom he said he was still close, and was still on parole from prison.

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

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