Did Darlie Routier Murder Her Kids to Sustain a Lavish Lifestyle?
On June 6, 1996, 26-year-old Darlie Routier made a frantic 911 call in Rowlett, Texas. She reported that an intruder had broken into her home and attacked her two young sons, Devon and Damon, stabbing them as well as herself.
Darlie’s husband, Darin Routier, was sleeping upstairs with their infant son, Drake when he heard Darlie’s screams. He rushed downstairs to find Devon gravely injured and immediately began administering CPR. By that time, the assailant had already fled.
Police arrived within three minutes of Darlie Routier’s 911 call and found a cut window screen in the garage, suggesting a possible point of entry for an intruder. Despite a thorough search, no intruder was found.
Devon was already dead by the time paramedics arrived, and Damon, who was still clinging to life, died on the ambulance ride to the hospital. Darlie Routier herself had suffered bruises and cuts to her throat and right arm and was briefly hospitalized.
Darlie told police she had fallen asleep on the couch with her two sons while watching TV and woke up to find an intruder in the house. As she approached him, the man fled, dropping the knife in a utility room as he escaped through the garage. After picking up the knife and chasing him away, she realized both her children and herself were injured and called 911.
