From Junior Detective--I finally broke down and bought one of the books regarding this case, "Hush Little Babies" by Don Davis. In that book starting on page 262, Davis talks about the testimony of Mary Angela Rickels. Rickels was not exactly a neighbor, but lived at a home on Miami Drive, which Davis describes as being just a few blocks east of the Routiers' home on Eagle Drive. Davis also describes the Rickels' home as being in the same general neighborhood. The passage regarding Rickels' testimony goes on for a couple of pages, so I won't quote it in its entirety. However, Rickels testified that about 1:30 am on June 6, 1996, she was watching television when she heard a noise at her door. She first thought it was her husband, who worked an overnight shift at a cable company. She investigated and allegedly saw two men at her door when she turned on her porch light. The two men then ran away, according to Rickels.
A few minutes later, she heard a tapping sound at her daughter's bedroom window. Rickles looked out and saw the same two men. When she turned on the lights, the men fled. She told her husband and others of the incident, but did not report it to police until five days later. Doug Mulder, Darlie's defense attorney, asked her at the trial (Don Davis, page 263), "Were the police interested in what happened to you?" Rickels shook her head, "Not at all." Toby Shook for the prosecution had the witness say she was watching a horror movie that night. Shook then zeroed in on her health and she said she was taking a number of medications, including an antidepressant.
Don Davis then says at page 264, "The witness's testimony could be powerful if the jurors believed her. Or it could be dismissed if they thought she was simply hallucinating under the influence of drugs and a scary movie." Rickels added that in front of the house was a strange car she described as a dark blue, small, and boxy vehicle. It was seen there at 2:00 am and was still there an hour later.
I think that Rickels' testimony is of extremely marginal relevance although I would probably allow it to be admitted if I was the trial court. Of course, the defense wanted people to believe that it was possible that either one or two of the alleged intruders at the Rickels' house could be the alleged intruder that struck at the Routier house. However, I think that is largely speculation and the defense has never set forth any concrete evidence that there was an intruder at the Routier house; indeed, two experts for the State, James Cron and Allen Brantley concluded that there was no intruder.
Mamatotex--I don't know if this is testimony you had in mind, but I don't recall seeing anything in the Don Davis book about a murder the same week in Rowlett that was covered up. In any event, it is interesting to consider because we will never know for sure if there were potential intruders at the Rickels' home. My opinion, though, is that her testimony didn't help Darlie Routier, judging by the jury's verdict.