Damon and Devon Routier

On June 6, 1996, five-year-old Damon and six-year-old Devon Routier were stabbed to death in the family room of their home in Rowlett, Texas. Their mother, Darlie Routier, 26, was also stabbed and slashed across the throat, barely missing her carotid artery.

Darlie told police an intruder had entered the home, attacked the children and her, and fled through the garage. However, investigators found inconsistencies in her account and evidence suggesting the crime scene had been staged.

Key prosecution evidence included a window screen that appeared cut from the inside, blood evidence patterns inconsistent with Darlie's account, and a surveillance video of her spraying Silly String at the children's grave site, which prosecutors characterized as inconsistent with grief.

Darlie Routier was convicted of Damon's murder in 1997 and sentenced to death. She remains on Texas's death row as of 2024. The case continues to generate debate, with some advocates arguing she is innocent and that forensic evidence was misinterpreted.