What Some People Burn in Their Crazy Minds

 by Kriss Odom 

In the early morning hours of June 6, 1996, in the quiet suburb of Rowlett, Texas, 26-year-old Darlie Routier frantically called 911, claiming that an intruder had broken into her home and attacked her family. When police arrived, they found a gruesome scene. Darlie’s two young sons, 6-year-old Devon and 5-year-old Damon, had been stabbed repeatedly while they slept in the living room. Darlie herself had slash wounds to her neck and deep cuts on her arms. She insisted a masked man had broken in, stabbed her and the boys, and fled through the garage. But almost immediately, investigators noticed inconsistencies. There was no evidence of forced entry, no footprints from a supposed intruder, and no blood trail leaving the house. A bread knife from Darlie’s own kitchen was found with fibers from the torn window screen, suggesting the crime scene had been staged.  

Just eight days after the murders, during what was supposed to be a solemn graveside memorial for Devon’s birthday, Darlie was filmed laughing, chewing gum, and spraying Silly String over her son's grave. The footage, shown repeatedly during her trial, painted her as cold and remorseless. Prosecutors argued Darlie killed her children out of financial desperation, citing credit card debt, a life insurance policy, and pressure from a lavish lifestyle. The defense claimed Darlie was a grieving mother being unfairly judged for her appearance and behavior. Despite the controversy, Darlie was convicted of Damon’s murder in 1997 and sentenced to death. Nearly three decades later, she remains on death row, and the case still sparks debate, with some believing she was wrongfully convicted and others convinced of her guilt.