Red Oak woman sentenced to life in prison for murdering husband

Amy Reese, 39, of Red Oak, was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday, April 21, 2015 for the murder of her husband, Marlin Wade Reese in October 2012.

ELLIS COUNTY — On Tuesday, April 21, 2015, Amy Reese, 39, of Red Oak, Texas, was sentenced by an Ellis County jury to life in prison for the murder of her husband, Marlin Wade Reese in October 2012.

At the start of the trial, Reese entered a plea of guilty to the offense and asked an Ellis County jury for mercy when considering her punishment. After Ellis County prosecutors Amy Lockhart and Jake Heffernan presented evidence of Reese's CPS history and the heinous details of the murder, the jury returned a verdict that sentenced Reese to life in prison.

Reese admitted to shooting her husband twice in the head while he slept in their bed. Reese had enlisted the help of her 12 year old daughter with special needs to help her plan and carry out the murder. Her three children, ages 12, 8, and 4 at the time were home inside their trailer while she shot him, collected the bloody evidence and showered. She then drove to Walmart in Waxahachie with her children where she bought supplies that she and her daughter would use to dispose of the victim's body.

Jurors heard evidence that CPS had been involved with Reese since 2003 and had even removed her children in 2009 after she physically assaulted her husband and was found to have neglected her children. The children were returned to Reese after six months in foster care. Prior to the 2009 removal Reese was found to have physically abused her oldest daughter.

Reese admitted to the murder to a witness who described her as being confident that she would get away with the murder. When Reese testified she did not demonstrate remorse for the misery she caused to her victim, his family or her children.

Reese will not be eligible for parole until serving at least 30 years of her sentence.