Theodore Murtaugh is a pedophile who sexually assaulted a young boy named Tino Guzmán.
History[]
Murtaugh had no criminal record but would prowl online video games, pretending to be a young boy, to draw out his victims. However, he would only meet Tino Guzmán and pretended that he was the father of the pretend boy to lure him to his apartment. He subsequently drugs and rapes Tino while he was unresponsive, leaving him handcuffed to a radiator.
He was later tracked down at his house by Carlos Guzmán, Tino's uncle who confronted him. Murtaugh showed no remorse and voiced his crimes with pride, even showing the video before an enraged Carlos attacked Murtaugh savagely before stabbing him in the gut and groin. Carlos took his phone and left the brutalized Murtaugh handcuffed to a radiator, in reflection of how he left Tino.
Murtaugh was left wounded and unconscious, before he was discovered by SVU detectives and taken to a hospital. He ultimately survived the attack and was left in a wheelchair. Carlos was found on camera breaking in and arrested after confessing, voicing how he regretted not killing him.
After being released from the hospital, Murtaugh is arrested after his DNA was matched to the rape kit and he takes a plea deal to a guilty verdict. However, in court, he takes back his decision and tries to take the hearing to trial. This was his way of taunting the Guzmán family and causing the father, Sebastian Guzmán, to be detained when he nearly attacks Murtaugh after he smirked and waved at him.
Murtaugh and his lawyer were confronted on the recant by A.D.A Carisi. Murtaugh was confident that he would not be convicted, claiming Tino only got sick at his house and injured himself trying to imitate a game scenario though Carisi saw this as a way to prolong his torment of the Guzmán family. However, he was ultimately incriminated when SVU recalled Carlos telling them Murtaugh confessed to him. When visited, Carlos revealed that he took Murtaugh's phone when he broke in and shows Carisi the video of the rape. As a result, Carlos testified against Murtaugh and used the video as evidence.
It is later stated Murtaugh was ultimately imprisoned for life, on the crimes of kidnapping and child molestation. However, his trial revealed Carlos' attack stemmed from his own self-loathing pedophilic nature. (SVU: "Burning With Rage Forever")