Cedar Rapids teen pleads to fatally stabbing his parents in 2021

CEDAR RAPIDS — An 18-year-old admitted Monday to stabbing his parents with a knife and then picking up an ax to kill his mother when he realized she hadn’t died from the stab injuries Oct. 14, 2021.

Ethan Alexander Orton, who was set to go to trial Tuesday, made a surprising last minute plea to both first-degree murder charges. The hearing Monday had been previously set because the medical examiner was going to testify via Zoom and not in person and Orton had to give his consent on the record.

But when 6th Judicial District Judge Ian Thornhill started the hearing he said he understood Orton was pleading to the charges.

Thornhill, during the hearing, told Orton more than once that jurors were set to come in for jury selection Tuesday, if he wanted to have a jury trial, but Orton said he understood and continued with the plea.

Orton was polite when answering the judge’s questions and didn’t show any emotion during the hearing.

Orton, who was 17 at the time of the murders, admitted to fatally stabbing his father, Casey Arthur Orton, 42, and mother, Misty Scott-Slade, 41, in their home, 361 Carnaby Dr. NE, in 2021. He also admitted to the elements of first-degree murder — acting with malice aforethought; deliberately, willfully and knowingly committing the acts; and having specific intent to kill.

The two first-degree murder pleas carry a life sentence without the possibility of parole, but because Orton was 17 — a juvenile — he will have the chance for parole. The Iowa Supreme Court banned life sentences for juveniles in 2016, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s same decision in 2012.

Assistant Linn County Attorney Mike Harris and Linn County Chief Public Defender Doug Davis both said the plea agreement for Orton is that the two charges will run concurrently and that he must serve 50 years in prison before being eligible for parole. Judge Thornhill has discretion on sentencing and may not agree to the recommended sentencing.

Harris, after the hearing, said he couldn’t provide more details, such as to the motive, but he added that some additional information may be released during sentencing.

“We are pleased that he is taking responsibility for the crimes and pleaded to the first-degree charges because we believe this was a first-degree murder case,” Harris said.

Davis didn’t immediately respond to an email request for comment.

Orton was found competent to stand trial, but planned to claim he was suffering from diminished capacity at the time he stabbed his parents.

Orton wanted ‘to take charge of his life’

Cedar Rapids police received a 911 call about 2:10 a.m. Oct. 14, 2021 regarding suspicious noises coming from the Orton house at 361 Carnaby Drive NE, according to a criminal complaint.

Officers said they found the teen soaked in blood outside the home and that Orton admitted to killing his parents, who were found inside the home. He stabbed both parents with a knife and then took an ax when he realized his mother was still alive, he told investigators.

Orton said he killed them “to take charge of his life,” according to the complaint.

Casey and Misty both worked for McGrath Auto, general manager Gavin McGrath told The Gazette after Orton was charged. Casey was a technician in the Chevyland department since 2018 and Misty started a few months before the murders in the company’s business development center.

McGrath said the couple moved from the Salt Lake area of Utah to Cedar Rapids about 4-1/2 years before the crime.

“We are heartbroken by the tragic passing of Casey and Misty,” McGrath said at that time.

“Casey was an absolute ray of sunshine and someone that everyone loved. Not only was he an extremely accomplished technician, he had a passion for mentoring young aspiring technicians and he did it with great patience and mentorship. Every interaction with Casey you left feeling better and there are no words to describe how much he'll be missed.”

The dealership named Casey Orton as one of its “emerging leaders” for 2018-19, according to a company blog. “Being a person who loves to learn and teach is a driving factor in why Casey wanted to become an emerging leader,” it said. “Casey is always looking for ways to better himself and opportunities to be a leader. He truly believes if you work hard, the rest will follow.”

The blog said Casey met Misty in Utah when he started working on cars. She brought in her car for maintenance and had an “adorable” 3-year-old girl, Nina, who Casey spent time coloring with as they waited for repairs. The two eventually married.

McGrath said in the short time that Misty worked with the company, she made an “immediate and positive impact.” She was always smiling and looking for ways to “make your day better.”

The couple’s deaths were the city’s second murder investigation in four months where a young man killed his parents. The other was Alexander Ken Jackson, 22, who killed is parents and sister June 21, 2021, also in their northeast Cedar Rapids home. He was convicted on three charges of first-degree murder in January and faces three life sentences.

Jackson will be sentenced Friday in Linn County District Court.

Orton’s sentencing hasn’t been set at this time.

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com