The Innocence Project and Darlie Routier

[cami]

I just listened to True Crime Garage’s recent 2 part podcast about Darlie’s case. This seems like the most recent thread about it but not sure.

Anyway, I lived in Dallas at the time, and I remember the local news playing the video of her laughing and dancing on their graves nightly. I was sure she did it. I haven’t followed the case, but after listening to the podcast I read through some of these threads and caught up a little. I’m not sure at all now that she did it. I’m not sure that she didn’t either, but I’m actually shocked that she was sent to death row with the evidence they have and don’t have. I have reasonable doubt for sure.

Just because they don’t have forensic evidence of an intruder doesn’t mean 100% there wasn’t one. And I don’t think they looked very hard to find one. MOO There were a couple of serial killers/rapists in the area at the time with the same MO. I wonder how hard they looked at them. Also what about the lady in the neighborhood who said one night earlier she had been downstairs sleeping on the couch and a man tried to break into her house? This info is from the podcast—I need to look into that. The sock down the street is weird and doesn’t make sense to me if staging the scene. They really think she left her house all bloody and ran down the street in the middle of a double murder to drop a sock? No. No one can convince me of that. That’s just dumb. Her wounds were not superficial. They weren’t fatal, but they very well could have been w/in mm.

My main problem is motive. There isn’t one. She was so full of rage at Darrin that she killed two of their kids? Why? What did he do? And if this was the case, would he really have stuck by her all these years when it would’ve been a heck of a lot easier to move on? Money? No. They got $5000 insurance per kid. They spent $14,000 on their funerals. She didn’t seem to have a boyfriend, which IMO is one of the biggest reasons mothers kill their kids. Plus she didn’t kill the baby so..That also doesn’t make sense if she didn’t want to be a mother anymore or was overwhelmed.

PPD and specifically Postpartum Psychosis makes the most sense to me if she did it. A psychotic break could account for memory loss about the murders. But still it’s weird because usually even with PPP they seem to know they did it but have really crazy reasoning. I’m thinking of Andrea Yates who drowned all her kids because she thought they were possessed and she was saving them.

I don’t see how Darrin had anything to do with it, because Darlie would know (she was there!) and why would she take the fall? Makes no sense.

There are so many questions here, and I have no idea if she did it or not, but the evidence they had doesn’t make me sure enough to sentence someone to death. One of the jurors has said if he had seen the TWO HOUR video of a somber, crying Darlie leading up to the silly string part he wouldn’t have convicted her. WOW. That was a mistake for the defense not to show it IMO.

Anyway, just my thoughts. People here seem to be really sure of her guilt or innocence, but I’m not sure how that is. There wasn’t much actual evidence IMO.

Thank you for your response and for taking the time to type all that out!

Clearly I need to do my due diligence in order to form a proper opinion on this case. Like I said haven’t followed it, I just remember in Dallas back when it happened, and seeing questions come up about it now sure is interesting.

I’m glad to have the Innocence Project looking into it. I know nothing seems to be going on with that, but with the last year being what it was I think a lot of things were stalled and delayed. Who knows. Like others here I doubt anything will come of it, but if there are questions at all they should be investigated—especially in a DP case. It’s such a tragic and senseless case. If she did indeed do it like she was convicted of, I’m still just baffled as to the why. I’m sure we’ll never know.

Darlie was due in court last June for a hearing re: the running of the print through AFIS and the DNA test results. However it was postponed due to Covid.

Lawyers for the IP have been looking into her case for over two years starting with the bloody print called 85J and the running of the print through AFIS, then the cull of the DA's files and now two lawyers from the IP have joined her appellate team. The IP however has not taken her case and they won't, she doesn't meet the criteria. They are just DP advocates now.

 

[scab_mom]

I've been very interested in this case for years. I've always thought her guilty. The Forensic Files episode about her is very interesting. When I read through the court transcripts and saw the evidence, especially the broken wine glass pieces on TOP of her bloody footprints, that was it for me. I don't know how you analyze that any other way than she staged the scene.

I think most people don't *want* to believe that a young mom would do something so savage to the children she's supposed to love. It's too horrible to think about and it doesn't make rational sense, so it can't possibly be true.

The evidence points to the killer, and in this case, it was Darlie. It isn't my job or anyones job to speculate why or find her motive. I am convinced she did it for whatever reason, and I think she's right where she belongs.

 

[Berrybell]

I've been very interested in this case for years. I've always thought her guilty. The Forensic Files episode about her is very interesting. When I read through the court transcripts and saw the evidence, especially the broken wine glass pieces on TOP of her bloody footprints, that was it for me. I don't know how you analyze that any other way than she staged the scene.

I think most people don't *want* to believe that a young mom would do something so savage to the children she's supposed to love. It's too horrible to think about and it doesn't make rational sense, so it can't possibly be true.

The evidence points to the killer, and in this case, it was Darlie. It isn't my job or anyones job to speculate why or find her motive. I am convinced she did it for whatever reason, and I think she's right where she belongs.

I was on the fence till I read the court transcripts of her testimony and that flipped me to guilty. I will always feel her husband is hiding something if nothing else he knows she is guilty and tried his best to protect her and give her whatever she wants. I think he has always been the enabler to her self-centered attention seeking self. I don't know what the motive was, I am not sure Darlie knows herself.

 

[Berrybell]

One thing I question is she is photographed with massive bruising on her arms, yet at the graveside birthday party the bruises are completing gone. I do not bruise easy but it takes weeks for them to be completing gone. I would think if you are putting up that much of fight to cause severe bruises there would be other areas of the body also bruised, the neck, face, legs, not just the arms. MOO

 

[Berrybell]

The alledged bruising on Darlie's arm is one of the main reasons I think she slaughtered her little boys. The bruise on her right arm was not noted by the doctors or nurses in the hospital (murder occurred June 6th), 4 days later on June 10th there is this photo taken by a friend or family member of massive bruising and trauma to her right arm, 4 days later on June 14th at the grave sites this bruising is healed. Bruises do not mysteriously appear and disappear MOO that is make-up.

Video: Darlie Routier sprays silly string at her sons grave | Daily Mail Online

 

[neesaki]

The alledged bruising on Darlie's arm is one of the main reasons I think she slaughtered her little boys. The bruise on her right arm was not noted by the doctors or nurses in the hospital (murder occurred June 6th), 4 days later on June 10th there is this photo taken by a friend or family member of massive bruising and trauma to her right arm, 4 days later on June 14th at the grave sites this bruising is healed. Bruises do not mysteriously appear and disappear MOO that is make-up.

Video: Darlie Routier sprays silly string at her sons grave | Daily Mail Online

She’s so disgusting, chewing gum and spraying silly string without a care in the world. What is holding up her execution?

 

[nyvictoria]

I have the same question. She’s had just about every evidentiary wish granted and they’ve found nothing that points to anyone other than Darlie.

I thought for sure Texas would have rid itself of this drain on public funds by now.

 

[Berrybell]

I do understand that how some still think she is or may be innocent, I was on the fence at first too. But, then I read the court transcripts of her testimony. If Darlie is to be believed, everyone was lying, doctors, nurses, LEO, the FBI profiler, EVERYONE!! According to Darlie and her family the state of Texas conspired against the woman who was a nobody, nothing more than a housewife because she was pretty, had bleached hair and a boob job. LOL.

 

[Catmommy]

Every day with every breath she takes I hope she thinks about the sons she murdered. I hope those boys come to her when she closes her eyes at night. I hope she relives their deaths, at her hands, over and over and over again. I hope she suffers the rest of her miserable life for the suffering she inflicted on her own children who loved and depended on her. That, in my opinion, is better than a death sentence. I have absolutely no mercy when it comes to killing your own babies, none.

 

[cami]

She’s so disgusting, chewing gum and spraying silly string without a care in the world. What is holding up her execution?

The IP is holding up her execution. They are sending off the window screen for tests and culling the original DNA test results for errors I assume. Just delaying the enevitable. Although I don't like the DP so if they commute her to LWOP that would be fine. As lonng as she never gets out.

 

[nyvictoria]

The IP is holding up her execution. They are sending off the window screen for tests and culling the original DNA test results for errors I assume. Just delaying the enevitable. Although I don't like the DP so if they commute her to LWOP that would be fine. As lonng as she never gets out.

I know you’ve been involved in this case a long time and I have to thank you for all of your posts. When I first read about Darlie, I thought there might be chance she didn’t murder her sons. After reading everything here and being directed to the transcripts, I knew she was guilty and there was more than enough evidence to prove it.

I’m not a proponent of the DP either but it’s enough already. She’s cost the taxpayers a fortune and I’d rather see the IP assisting in a case where someone might actually be innocent.

At least Darlie will be spending another Christmas and New Year in prison, where she belongs.

 

[neesaki]

The IP is holding up her execution. They are sending off the window screen for tests and culling the original DNA test results for errors I assume. Just delaying the enevitable. Although I don't like the DP so if they commute her to LWOP that would be fine. As lonng as she never gets out.

Ok, I thought they’d already done all that at least twice. Thank you for you’re knowledge on this case.
I agree with you about the death penalty. Commute to LWOP is the right thing to do, IMO. Especially after all this time. Let it go already.

 

[Berrybell]

The IP is holding up her execution. They are sending off the window screen for tests and culling the original DNA test results for errors I assume. Just delaying the enevitable. Although I don't like the DP so if they commute her to LWOP that would be fine. As lonng as she never gets out.

I am fine with LWOP I don't support the death penalty. I am for her growing old, weak and frail in prison as the world goes on without her.

 

[Springrain]

I 100% think she's guilty, and I personally don't really care if she gets LWOP or DP as long as she doesn't get out.

I will say I don't think someone who kills as remorselessly as she did will have ANY regrets or haunting feelings about the murders. I feel like she just doesn't care. I hope I'm wrong and that it keeps her up at night.

I still am unconvinced that Darin was not involved. Not that he actually killed the boys - Darlie (clearly) did that IMO - but that he was somehow involved. I just don't have full trust in the investigation into him.

 

[Zzzz]

I still am unconvinced that Darin was not involved. Not that he actually killed the boys - Darlie (clearly) did that IMO - but that he was somehow involved. I just don't have full trust in the investigation into him.

Darin’s shock and questions in the background on the 911 tape, coupled with Darlie’s very defensive answers to him about an intruder, convinced me he wasn’t involved. Detectives interviewed him and came to the same conclusion.

However, I’m sure he knows she’s guilty and obviously lied for her on the stand. It’s why he failed the lie detector test. Maybe he felt guilty because he knew she was emotionally unstable and he didn’t help her enough. Maybe he felt guilty because he was fooling around with her sister and it caused Darlie to snap. Maybe he didn’t want to cross Darlie’s mother, who supported him financially for a time afterwards. Maybe he enjoyed the limelight/notoriety and is just a jerk. Who knows? But the 911 tape shows he wasn’t involved.

 

[Springrain]

Who knows? But the 911 tape shows he wasn’t involved.

See, this is JMO, but that doesn't prove it to me. He might have been uninvolved, but to me, his openly lying for Darlie is extremely suspicious and could indicate he was hiding something else. Darin on the 911 call doesn't show much to me. I don't put much stock into any 911 calls connected with missing people or murders, because people can act so oddly in emergency situations...or "pre-planned" emergency situations. I just do not trust Darin and his lies.

 

[Berrybell]

See, this is JMO, but that doesn't prove it to me. He might have been uninvolved, but to me, his openly lying for Darlie is extremely suspicious and could indicate he was hiding something else. Darin on the 911 call doesn't show much to me. I don't put much stock into any 911 calls connected with missing people or murders, because people can act so oddly in emergency situations...or "pre-planned" emergency situations. I just do not trust Darin and his lies.

I honestly don't think he was involved in the murders, but I do think he lied and tried to cover up for her. But this is all just my opinion, and I agree the 911 tapes don't convict or exonerate Darin. Howver, his actions after do make me suspicious of him. I honestly think he has always been her enabler.

 

[Springrain]

I honestly don't think he was involved in the murders, but I do think he lied and tried to cover up for her. But this is all just my opinion, and I agree the 911 tapes don't convict or exonerate Darin. Howver, his actions after do make me suspicious of him. I honestly think he has always been her enabler.

This is kind of where I am right now, too.

 

[Ccgray]

I lived pretty close to the area at the time of the murders, at first I totally believed her, mostly because I could not grasp that a women my age would do that to her children.
Unfortunately, history proves otherwise as do many cases presented here on this site.
IMO The birthday party at graveside. Silly string and all.
Just odd behavior.
I have to go read up on what The Innocence Project requires before they agree to take on a case.
What convinced them?

the silly string was only b/c the boys loved silly string. Darlie isn’t even who brought it. Her sister did & regrets it w everything. The entire video of that incident wasn’t played. Prior to that the family was praying & Darlie wasn’t holding up well. It’s sad that not all of the info about the incident was told.

 

[Armalita]

Those fibers from screen came from knife and I think it was cut by the killer but not darlie.

It was her knife so the killer broke in took the knife from the butcher block then cut the window screen then put it back in the block. I don't think so