A northern Iowa man is accused in the murder of a motel clerk in southern Minnesota. 46-year-old Roger Morton is jailed in Mason City after his arrest Friday. Records show he was working for a roofing company on a job in Blue Earth, Minnesota, and stayed at the local AmericInn for three days prior to the death of Mary Klatt. The 53-year-old Klatt worked at the hotel and was found dead May 29th. D-N-A from semen found on her body was traced to samples Morton gave police the day of Klatt’s death. Investigators traced a telephone call made from the motel lobby that morning to Morton’s phone card. Morton denies making the call, and also claims he was in his room that night. Blue Earth police chief Dean Vereide says the D-N-A pointed directly to Morton, and they aren’t expecting any other arrests. Vereide says he was very pleased with the fast action by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on the D-N-A evidence. Morton is charged with second-degree murder and is awaiting extradition to Minnesota from the Cerro Gordo County jail. His bail is 32-thousand-500 dollars.
