GUILTY TX - Amanda Doss, 34, & two kids die in arson fire, Redwater, 11 May 2011

[AdoraBlue]

http://www.ksla.com/story/15261219/breaking-arrest-made-in-bowie-co-triple-murder

A 16-year-old female from the Redwater area has been arrested and charged with three counts of capital murder in the deaths of a Texarkana mother and her two children.

 

[AdoraBlue]

http://www.ktbs.com/news/28855318/detail.html

Bowie County Sheriff's officials say the girl's mother called them Friday night just before 9:00 p.m. and said she knew who killed Amanda Doss, Guinevere Doss, 11, and Texas Johnson, 8.

 

[AdoraBlue]

http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2011/08/13/595672.php

The arrest comes a little more than three months after Amanda Prewett Doss, 34, and her children, Texas Johnson, 8, and Guinevere Doss, 11, were killed May 11 in their home outside of Redwater.

The home was set on fire, and investigators believe it was intentionally burned to destroy evidence of the crimes.

SNIP

Prince said the suspect’s mother called him about 9 p.m. Friday.

“The lady was pretty upset. She said she knew who killed Amanda Doss and her children,” he said.

Prince said he received the call not long after the girl’s mother learned of her daughter’s alleged crime.

 

[jrc]

AdoraBlue ~ thank you for posting about the arrest. I was only now finding time.

A female sixteen years old. Crazy, isn't it?

 

[AdoraBlue]

Yes, JRC, more than crazy. I saw it on the "local" news this morning. I had been wondering about it since it happened. So heinous.

 

[Lovejac]

What the !

A 16 year old girl!!

 

[jrc]

Doss murder suspect in Bi-State jail

Judge sets bail for Rachel Pittman at $3 million




Rachel Pittman, the teen suspected of killing a Redwater, Texas, woman and her two children in May, is being held in the Bi-State Justice Building jail.


Bowie County Justice of the Peace Gibson “Hoot” Hadaway said he set bail for Pittman at $3 million at a hearing Wednesday morning in the jail.


“That’s a million apiece for each victim,” Hadaway said.


~ snip ~

This is the first time Pittman has been publicly identified in connection with the triple murders.


District Attorney Jerry Rochelle said he could not comment on the case. Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Larry Parker said he could not comment. Addison did not return a call Wednesday.


~ snip ~

Booking records indicate Pittman, 17, is charged with capital murder, multiple persons.


~ snip ~

Officials have been tight-lipped about the case, citing a gag order issued by Addison, since Pittman allegedly confessed in mid-August to the murders of Amanda Doss, 34, Guinevere Doss, 11, and Texas Johnson, 8. Pittman’s case was sealed in the juvenile court, which Addison oversees, until Tuesday because she was 16 at the time of the killings.


~ snip ~

In Texas, individuals accused of committing a crime while under the age of 17 are dealt with in juvenile court, and those 17 and older are considered adults for purposes of prosecution. A juvenile court can waive jurisdiction and transfer a case to district court under certain circumstances, including suspected capital murder. Pittman’s booking record indicates such a transfer has occurred.

~ snip ~

That means Pittman's case will be handled in the same manner as a capital murder case involving an adult defendant, according to Texas law.


However, certification as an adult does not mean Pittman will face the same punishment the law provides for adults convicted of capital murder in Texas. Adults face a sentence of death by lethal injection or life without the possibility of parole.


Defendants who are convicted of capital murder following a transfer from juvenile court face a sentence of life with parole eligibility after 40 years, according to the Texas penal code.


Pittman turned 17 about two months after the family was slain in their Redwater home on Farm to Market Road 991. Pittman’s address on record is just a few miles from the Doss family residence, which was ravaged by a fire allegedly set to destroy evidence.


~ snip ~

Despite a sizable and growing reward and several heartfelt public pleas from the Prewetts for information, the case appeared stymied until Pittman’s mother contacted Bowie County Sheriff’s Office in August.

In a previous interview, Sheriff James Prince said the girl’s mother claimed to know who killed Doss, Guinevere and Texas. Pittman was taken into custody that night and held in a juvenile lockup until she was transferred Tuesday to the Bi-State.




http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2012/02/02/doss-murder-suspect-in-bi-state-jail-245120.php

 

[JenniferTx]

Wonder why she did this? What connection to the family did she have?

 

[JenniferTx]

This couldn't have just been a random house that she went in and decided to kill the family. I wonder what her connection is to them.

 

[colette]

There have been some comments under the articles that she was involved with the father of ? one of the children. I guess we will hear soon enough.

 

[jrc]

In the Tulsa newspaper, Amanda's grandmother says Pittman was a friend of the family.

It also says, "Rachel Nicole Pittman, 17, was booked into a Texarkana, Texas, jail on one count of capital murder with multiple deaths linked to the slayings of Amanda Doss, 34; Guinevere Doss, 11; and Texas Johnson, 8.

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20120203_11_A10_CUTLIN492098

Why she did it ~ now that's the 64 thousand dollar question.

 

[fhc]

http://www.ksla.com/story/16666078/etx-residents-speak-out-in-pittman-case

The Dodds say Pittman knew the victims. "She kept them kids and worked for that woman," says Pattie

Whoa, she babysat the children and was still able to do this. wow, just wow.

Her current booking photo is at the above link

 

[jrc]

http://www.ksla.com/story/16666078/etx-residents-speak-out-in-pittman-case

The Dodds say Pittman knew the victims. "She kept them kids and worked for that woman," says Pattie

Whoa, she babysat the children and was still able to do this. wow, just wow.

Her current booking photo is at the above link

It makes no sense, none at all.

 

[jrc]

Details emerge in triple homicide

Officials allege teen ‘planned, carried out’ murder of the Doss family
By: Lynn LaRowe - Texarkana Gazette




The teen accused of murdering a Redwater, Texas, mother and her two children last spring allegedly stabbed each victim before setting their bodies on fire.



Rachel Nicole Pittman allegedly “planned and carried out her intentions,” according to a probable cause affidavit acquired by the Gazette via a Freedom of Information Act request to the Bowie County District Attorney’s Office.“The manner of death and destruction of evidence was uniquely described by the person responsible,” states the Aug. 13 affidavit penned by a Bowie County Sheriff’s detective.



~ snip ~

Doss’ parents, Wanda and Glen Prewett, rushed to their daughter’s house, ...

~ snip ~

When the Prewetts arrived, they found their daughter’s home in flames.


“They discovered Amanda Doss bleeding badly in the floor of the residence. They also discovered Guinevere Doss bleeding badly from lacerations to the neck area and on fire. Guinevere was removed from the home but died from her injuries,” the affidavit said. “The third victim, Texas Johnson, was found in the remains of the fire but burned beyond evidentiary collection. The fire was set intentionally to conceal evidence of a multiple homicide.”


Among evidence collected by investigators at the scene were four paint cans alerted to as possible sources of the blaze by a police K-9, according to a search warrant return.


Pittman’s address of record is just a few miles from Doss’ home.


~ snip ~

After being advised of her rights by a Bowie County justice of the peace, Pittman allegedly confessed.


Pittman, who was 16 at the time of the triple murders, was held in a juvenile lockup until Tuesday, when an order transferring her case to district court was issued by County Court at Law Judge Jeff Addison. Pittman is represented by Longview, Texas, lawyers Scrappy Holmes and Tonda Curry.


~ snip ~

Officials have declined to comment about a possible motive. The likely next step for the case is presentation to a grand jury for indictment. If Pittman is indicted, her case will be assigned to one of Bowie County’s three district courts and scheduled for an arraignment hearing.


Published: 02/06/2012


My question is why a trial if she has confessed?

 

[jrc]

Pittman pleads not guilty in Doss deaths

By: Lynn LaRowe - Texarkana Gazette






The teen girl accused of killing a Redwater, Texas, mother and her two children last spring pleaded not guilty to capital murder at an arraignment hearing this morning.

Rachel Pittman, 17, appeared before 202nd District Judge Leon Pesek, Jr. with Bowie County Chief Public Defender Rick Shumaker.

http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2012/02/17/pittman-pleads-not-guilty-in-doss-deaths-797191.php

There is more at the link, but it is just a rehashing of the charges.

 

[jrc]

Lawyer: Pittman to plead insanity

Teen charged in stabbing deaths
By: Lynn LaRowe - Texarkana Gazette


Pittman




NEW BOSTON, Texas—Lawyers for a teen girl accused of murdering a mother and her two young children in 2011 have given notice to the state that they intend to plead insanity.

Attorney Tonda Curry of Longview, Texas, signed the document Sept. 27 on behalf of Rachael Nicole Pittman.


~ snip ~

If a jury convicts Pittman but accepts her insanity defense, the teen could be acquitted.

Prosecutors likely will argue that Pittman set the bodies of the slain on fire to cover her crime, an act that might lead a jury to think Pittman knew what she allegedly did was wrong.


~ snip ~

The case appeared to puzzle investigators, and a reward for information leading to an arrest grew to more than $140,000 before Pittman’s mother contacted Bowie County Sheriff’s Office with information in mid-August 2011.

Since then, Pittman, who was 16 at the time of the deaths, has been certified to stand trial as an adult. Defendants younger than 17 are considered juveniles under Texas law unless certified as adults, based on the seriousness of the offense or a lengthy history of criminal conduct

Indictments handed down earlier this year accuse Pittman of capital murder, multiple persons, in the deaths of Doss and Guinevere and first-degree murder in Texas’ death.

Pittman pleaded not guilty.

Thursday’s hearing was set earlier this week in response to a motion from prosecutors asking the court to compel the defense to comply with an order inked Aug. 29.

At the August hearing, 202nd District Judge Leon F. Pesek Jr. gave the defense an Oct. 2 deadline to provide the state with reports from experts, specifically a psychiatrist and psychologist.

The state complained at Thursday’s hearing that the defense had provided only sketchy, incomplete, preliminary reports detailing the experts’ opinions of Pittman’s mental state.

First Assistant District Attorney Michael Shepherd told Pesek that receiving the defense’s expert reports has become more urgent since notice of Pittman’s intention to use the insanity defense.

DA Jerry Rochelle echoed Shepherd and expressed concern that the state will not have adequate time to prepare rebuttals to Pittman’s experts before the trial in January.

Curry argued that the state was trying to “stop us from continuing our examination.”

“There’s no reason their doctor can’t evaluate our client,” Curry said. “There is no reason he can’t start. There is no reason he couldn’t have already started once we gave our insanity notice.”

Pesek noted that the order he penned directed the defense to provide expert reports, including a description of the procedures used by the experts as well as their diagnoses. Pesek gave the defense a new deadline of Oct. 22 to provide more detailed expert reports.

Pittman’s trial for capital murder is scheduled for Jan. 14 in Rusk County. The case was moved because of pretrial publicity.

A trial has not been scheduled on the first-degree murder charge in Texas’ death.

~ snip ~

llarowe@texarkanagazette.com

Published: 10/12/2012

 

[fhc]

http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2013/01/11/pittman-pleads-guilty-to-two-first-degre-330096.php

Pittman pleads guilty to two first-degree murder counts
Gets two concurrent life sentences, parole eligibility in 30 years

 

[CarmelEyesD]

Why not 3 murders? Why only 2? OMG, 16 years old-the children and their mom were beautiful. So heartbreaking.

 

[Ann-Tx]

Rachel Pittman is in the State of Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison system.

http://offender.tdcj.state.tx.us/POSdb2/search.action;jsessionid=95896d7797dab22eb36f615d1667
State of Texas - Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Offender Search
~~~~~

http://offender.tdcj.state.tx.us/POSdb2/offenderDetail.action?sid=08932389
Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Offender Detail


Offender Information Details

SID Number: 08932389

TDCJ Number: 01830034

Name: PITTMAN,RACHEL

Race: W

Gender: F

DOB: 1994-07-14

Maximum Sentence Date: LIFE SENTENCE

Current Facility: CHRISTINA MELTON CRAIN UNIT

Projected Release Date: LIFE SENTENCE

Parole Eligibility Date: 2041-08-12

________________________

Offense History:

Offense Date
2011-05-11
2011-05-11

Offense
MURDER
MURDER

Sentence Date
2013-01-11
2013-01-11

County
BOWIE
BOWIE

Case No.
12F0128-202
12F0129-202

Sentence (YY-MM-DD)
9999-99-99
9999-99-99

 

[Ann-Tx]

The Christina Melton Crain Unit in Gatesville, TX where Rachel Pittman is currently located is the same prison unit where Abigail Young is serving her prison sentence.

Wow! I wonder if Young and Pittman will meet one another!

For those who might not know, Abigail Young is the mother of barely 4 year-old Emma Thompson who was brutally raped and murdered by Young's then boyfriend, Lucas Coe in June, 2009.

There are several threads here at WS for the Emma Thompson (Abigail Young/Lucas Coe) case..