Testimony from neighbor - attempted break-in

mamatotex

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This is the first time I've posted here so it may have been brought up before.
I read recently that there was another murder in Rowlett that same week however the police kept it from the media. After this was brought up, does anyone know the validity of this claim? I lived in Rowlett when this happened and remember everything very well. However I don't recall another murder. We are talking a very small town at the time with zilch in the crime department.
 
I live a few minutes away and I don't remember hearing anything. There has never been anything to substantiate this "rumor," so that's exactly what I believe it to be.
 
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.
 
I do remember reading that in Hush Little Babies. What I was referring to I had read somewhere online recently. I will do a search and see if I can find it again. I should have bookmarked it but .......
If I find it I will send the link this time.
 
Ok, I found the comments that I recently read. Here is the link:
http://www.fordarlieroutier.org/HerProof/#2

Granted these are comments from her site so it's safe to assume they are written with some bias.

here's a few questions/comments:
City Mayor (who was previously charged with federal crimes) was selling high priced houses and preferred arrest to be within family rather than create stigma that this is a crime area for intruders.
The Mayor then was Buddy Wall correct? What federal crimes?

2) Investigator Jimmy Patterson should not have been assigned to case because his son was a potential suspect. He owns a car matching neighbors description and was a defendant in a drug related drive by shooting in which he was convicted. Another murder was committed in the same neighborhood in the same week but this information was not given to the media and the case was sealed until recently and is still unsolved
Would love to know where they got this information from and what is really true.
 
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.

This woman was unbelievable, imo. You see someone trying to get into your house and you don't call the cops? Please.
 
What could the police have done if they were called? All these men had done was stand on her porch, tap her window and run away. No crime was committed.
 
This is the first time I've posted here so it may have been brought up before.
I read recently that there was another murder in Rowlett that same week however the police kept it from the media. After this was brought up, does anyone know the validity of this claim? I lived in Rowlett when this happened and remember everything very well. However I don't recall another murder. We are talking a very small town at the time with zilch in the crime department.

When and how have LE ever kept anything from the media? The media would have found out about this in seconds. Assuming a coroner would have had to pronounce the murder victim dead and state the cause of death. Those are public records aren't they?

Just a red herring thrown out by the supporters and Darlie's family.
 
What could the police have done if they were called? All these men had done was stand on her porch, tap her window and run away. No crime was committed.

Well trespassing was committed. But I don't think you quite understand. If two strange men were tapping on your windows late at night and you had children in the house, you wouldn't p/u the phone and call the police?

She also testified these alleged men came back a second time didn't she? I can't quite remember the testimony any more. I think she was having hallucinations anyway.
 
That's a good point. Why wouldn't she call the police? I know I sure would, quickly too. Doesn't make sense.
 
Well trespassing was committed. But I don't think you quite understand. If two strange men were tapping on your windows late at night and you had children in the house, you wouldn't p/u the phone and call the police?

She also testified these alleged men came back a second time didn't she? I can't quite remember the testimony any more. I think she was having hallucinations anyway.

I do understand. I just dont see the point in phoning the police for something like tapping windows. There could be loads of diff reasons why - maybe they got wrong house - they were drunk & thought it would be funny? If they broke window, entered house or stood in window watching (without going) - yes I would definatly phone police, but not for just tapping the window. It would just seem like a waste of police time.

If you called police chances are they would be long gone by the time the police turned up & the fact they didnt do anything makes it hard to justify phoning in first place. If you phoned police cause of tresspassing you would have to prove they were tresspassing. Also by phoning police on them it would just piss them off more and they would know where you live chances are they would then be back.
 
Well trespassing was committed. But I don't think you quite understand. If two strange men were tapping on your windows late at night and you had children in the house, you wouldn't p/u the phone and call the police?

She also testified these alleged men came back a second time didn't she? I can't quite remember the testimony any more. I think she was having hallucinations anyway.

Well, if someone were tapping on my windows late at night and my children were in the house I would be on the phone to the police POST HASTE!!!!!

I think she was probably having hallucinations also or maybe it had something to do with the horror movie she had been watching.

Her story never did make any sense to me. I wouldn't care about possibly wasting the police department's time if someone was tapping on my windows late at night. I would much rather waste their time then as opposed to them having to investigate a murder or murders at my residence because I didn't call the police! I hope I am conveying what my brain is thinking! LOL
 
No kidding, if anyone came to our window in the middle of the night, I would call 911, immediately.

The problem with stories, is that you can `wonder`if it is true or not, by how it was reported and when and what a person did to offer evidence of their claim.
 
I do understand. I just dont see the point in phoning the police for something like tapping windows. There could be loads of diff reasons why - maybe they got wrong house - they were drunk & thought it would be funny? If they broke window, entered house or stood in window watching (without going) - yes I would definatly phone police, but not for just tapping the window. It would just seem like a waste of police time.

If you called police chances are they would be long gone by the time the police turned up & the fact they didnt do anything makes it hard to justify phoning in first place. If you phoned police cause of tresspassing you would have to prove they were tresspassing. Also by phoning police on them it would just piss them off more and they would know where you live chances are they would then be back.

I don't give any credibility to this woman's story, I guess that's my point as well, Nic. You can but I still say no mother in her right mind would not p/u that phone and call 911. There's a potential threat at your door, you have to act proactively.
 
Did she say something also about them trying to get in her daughter's room?
Would you call the cops then Nicole, if your daughter told you two men werow, trying to get in?
 
I can't say whether or not this woman was telling the truth or not but if someone knocked on my door and then ran (or two someones) I might, and I say might, let that go. But, if they came back knocking on my childs window, I'd be calling the police.

I also don't think she was hallucinating due to watching a horror movie. How lame is that? Yeah, I hallucinate every time I watch Carrie. And, I'd love to know the meds in the prosecutors medicine cabinet. That's another lame one. But, they sure try hard, however as a juror, I couldn't use that at all in helping her look like a liar, or a nut.
 
Did she say something also about them trying to get in her daughter's room?
Would you call the cops then Nicole, if your daughter told you two men werow, trying to get in?

If my daughter told me 2 men were trying to get in the house I of course id phone police. Id also arm myself with knife/bat - just in case the police took thier time & the men came back. This however is a completely different scenario to the one with 2 men knocking on windows.
 
I can't say whether or not this woman was telling the truth or not but if someone knocked on my door and then ran (or two someones) I might, and I say might, let that go. But, if they came back knocking on my childs window, I'd be calling the police.

How would these men have known it was the childs bedroom they were knocking or if there was a child in the house? She says they ran when she turned on light therefore the light was off & it wouldve been 2 dark 2 see who was in room (if any1).
I agree that the halucination 'story' is a bit lame & if she is a nut what the hells she doing looking after a child in first place.
 
If my daughter told me 2 men were trying to get in the house I of course id phone police. Id also arm myself with knife/bat - just in case the police took thier time & the men came back. This however is a completely different scenario to the one with 2 men knocking on windows.

Ok I had to go dig out my books. According to the Don Davis one:
"Only a few minutes later, she heard a "tapping" sound at her daughter's bedroom window and peeked out to find the same men there again, this time with either a KNIFE or a SCREWDRIVER!"
Ok Nicola, seeing that isn't going to make you call the police? :eek:
And then she DID end up calling the police two days later. Why wasn't it important enough to call that night?
 

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