MASON CITY – A Mason City woman took plea deal in a child molestation case and will spend up to 20 years in prison.
Destiny Marie Murphy, age 23, was booked into the Cerro Gordo county jail Sunday morning, September 22, 2024, at 2:22 AM. She was charged with felony B second-degree sexual abuse of a child, a violation of Iowa code 709.3(1)(b). The alleged crimes took place in April of 2021.
Murphy entered a not-guilty plea on October 21. A jury trial was then set for November 19.
However, on November 14, a plea deal was worked out and Murphy entered a guilty plea to two counts of felony C LASCIVIOUS ACTS WITH A CHILD – FONDLE OR TOUCH. She was sentenced to consecutive 10-year prison terms and ordered to pay $700.00 in court costs. She remains in the Cerro Gordo county jail awaiting transport to prison.
It was 10 years ago that NIT reported that 13-year-old Destiny Murphy was reported missing after she did not come home from school. Mason City police were notified, and she was entered into the state’s missing person database and website. She was later located by a Cerro Gordo County Deputy walking along a road near the Worth county border.