Darlie and Darin’s Statements

Statement of Darlie Routier
Taken at Rowlett P.D., June 8, 1996

Darin and Dana my sister came home from working at the shop. The boys were playing with the neighborhood kids outside. I was finishing up dinner. Damon came home and Devon called and I told him to be home soon because we were going to eat. Darin played with the baby (Drake) with Dana while I pulled everything together to eat. Devon came home and we all ate dinner together. After we ate we cleaned all the plates. I was changing Drake while Darin put everything in some containers for leftovers.

Darlie Routier is escorted by Chris Cassell, left, and Maryanne Cox, right, into the Mountain View Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Gatesville, Texas, Wednesday evening, Feb. 5, 1997. Routier was sentenced to death for the fatal stabbing of her 5-year-old son, Damon, in their Rowlett, Texas, home on July 6, 1996. (AP Photo/Ron Heflin)

We all talked a little about how happy we were that the shop had been so busy for the past three weeks and that we hoped it would continue since work had been slow for a couple of months. Devon and Damon asked if they could play with one of their friends a little longer so we said ok. Darin Dana, and I just sat around and watched a little TV. Later, I’m not sure of exact time I asked Darin to drive Dana (my sister) home because I wasn’t feeling to (sic) well. While Darin was gone the boys brought down their blankets and pillows and asked if they could watch TV. I said yes. They came downstairs and played on the floor in front of the TV with Drake while I made some popcorn.

About 20 or 25 minutes later Darin came in and sat down with us while we watched TV. Drake started to get fussy so I made him a bottle. Soon after the boys fell asleep. Darin took the baby upstairs and put him in his crib and came back downstairs. We talked about a few problems we were having with the car and the boat and had a few words between us. Since I had the baby I have been having some depression. I told Darin I was depressed because I hadn’t been able to take the boys anywhere because we only had one car. He told me he loved me and asked me if I wanted him to sleep downstairs with me because I wanted to stay up a little and watch TV. I told him no because I didn’t think he would be able to sleep on the couch and get any sleep. I had been sleeping on the couch the past week or so off and on because the baby slept in our room in the crib and when he moved he woke me up. Darin and I laid together for a little while and then decided to go to sleep because he had work the next day, this was around 12:30 or1:00, I’m not sure. He kissed me and said he loved me, and I told him I loved him and would see him in the morning.

After awhile I started to get sleepy. The next thing I wake up and feel a pressure on me. I felt Damon press on my right shoulder and heard him cry, this made me really come awake and realized there was a man standing down at my feet walking away from me. I walked after him and heard glass breaking. I got halfway through the kitchen and turned back around to run and turn on the light, I ran back towards the utility room and realized there was a big white handled knife lying on the floor, it was then that I realized I had blood all over me and I grabbed the knife thinking he was in the garage so I thought he might still be there and I yelled for Darin.

I ran back through the kitchen and realized the entire living area had blood all over everything. I put the knife on the counter and ran into the entrance, turned on a light and started screaming for Darin, I think I screamed twice and he ran out of the bedroom with his jeans on and no glasses and was yelling, what is it, what is it. I remember saying he cut them, he tried to kill me, my neck, he ran down the stairs and into the room where the boys were. I grabbed the phone and called 911. Darin started giving Devon CPR while I put a towel on my neck and a towel over Damon’s back. I remember telling Damon to hang on mommy was there. I looked over at Darin and saw the glass table had been knocked halfway off and the flower arrangement had been knocked over. I then stood up and turned around and saw glass all over the kitchen floor. I tried to glance over to see if anything was out of place or if anything was missing. I took a few steps and opened the door and screamed for Karen. I was still on the phone with 911 and I don’t recall what all was said because everything was happening so fast.

I went back to Damon and by then he had stopped moving and the police walked through the door. The paramedics came and tried to work on the children. Darin was screaming Who Did This Who Did This and I started asking if my babies were dead. Darin was crying and said yes. After that I just remember screaming and showing Darin my neck. Darin took me out to the front of the house and by then Darin ran upstairs to make sure the baby was okay and then handed him to Karen our neighbor. I remember them holding a towel on my neck and wrapping my arm and then they put me in an ambulance. Darin got in but they told him he needed to leave so they could take care of me. I remember we got to the hospital and then them telling me they were taking me to surgery. They took off my necklace and put me to sleep. I woke up and minutes later the detectives were there making me all kinds of questions.

Statement of Darin Routier
Taken by Rowlett P.D.,  June 8, 1996

We were watching TV in the Roman Room (Living Room SW Corner of House) watching [illegible] movie on HBO (Satellite). Baby Drake had fallen asleep about 10-10:30. I took him up to bed in parents room. Put blanket on him and turned out lights. I went down stairs to talk to Darlie. We talked about the boys not being able to start base-ball yet because we were so busy with the baby right now. We talked about the business, bills, and how Darlie was having a hard time with taking care of the baby’s (all) today. Darlie said she wanted to sleep on the couch because she would sleep better because the baby would keep her awake. The boys were asleep with pillows and blankets on the floor. Devon was asleep face up in front of TV and Damon was asleep between couch and coffee table by the couch mom was. So I went upstairs to get her a blanket and pillow and came back downstairs to cover her up. We talked a little more about her going to Cancun with some friends across the street and I gave her a kiss goodnight. Told her to dream about me and went upstairs around 1:00am. 

I went and turned on TV in our room and watched for 10 to 15 min. and took my glasses off and turned TV off. I could not go to sleep for a while but finally I fell asleep. Uncontisly (sic) I heard a noise and then Darlie screaming loud. She was yelling Devon! Devon!! Oh my God Devon! I woke up quickly and grabbed my glasses on the night stand and ran downstairs as fast as I could. Going into the Living Room (Roman) I ran over to Devon laying on the floor where he was when I saw him last and nealed (sic) down over him to see if he was hurt and then looked at the coffee table to see it tipped over on him. When I looked again at his chest there were two holes in his chest with blood and muscle piecing(sic) out. I slapped his face to get him to say or look at me. No response. I started CPR and when I blew into his mouth air came out of his chest. I blew 5 or 6 times and held my hand over the holes on his chest. Then when that didn’t work I blew into one of the holes in his chest. I looked over at Darlie and she was on the phone calling 911.

I ran over to Damon laying on floor in hallway between wall and side of couch. He had no pulse but I could not see any injuries. Police came in and I told them that my babys were stabbed and she told them that he went out of the garage. I ran upstairs to put my pants on. I looked over and Drake was crying and I felt [illegible] he was ok. I noticed my wallet left on the floor and all I could think to do was to go to Karen’s house for help. I needed someone to help [illegible] and [illegible] the paramedics when they arrived. I went downstairs ran out the house and ran across the street to Karen and Terry door. I banged 5-6 times as hard as I could until Terry comes to the door 1st and when I told them that Devon and Damon were stabbed they were in shock  and ran over with me to the house and that was when they were putting Damon on a stretcher. I knew that Devon was dead before I ran across street and Damon had no pulse but the paramedic carried him out in a blanket out the front door.

I ran out yelling that we have to find who did this and Karen told me that Darlie was cut too! I never knew that she was hurt yet she had blood all over her from the neck down to the bottom of her nightshirt. She was standing in the door way with the paramedics said she needed to go to the hospital. So we helped her onto the stretcher and she said “Darin you have to promise me we will find this man! He killed our babys.” I walked back into house pushed my way through the police and saw the knife on the bar in kitchen w/blood all over it. [illegible] went to garage [illegible] to look at the window that the police had said he entered and I went out of the

house and walked across the street and neighbors were there to comfort me and ask me about what happened. I sat for a minute on a curb and walked over to the ambulance where Damon was and asked paramedic was he alive and they said no. I was in shock. Karen told me to go with Darlie in the ambulance. So I got in and they threw me out and said they needed to work. So then they asked me questions (fire dept) (SS# + address + name) and I asked what hospital and no one knew. So found out where Darlie went (Baylor Dallas) and drove over to the hospital. At hospital I was questioned by Det. Frosch for hours.