'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The October 2012 killing of Marlin Wade Reese stunned the Red Oak, Texas, community and brought to light a complicated and grisly family tragedy. Marlin, 36, was murdered in his home by his wife, Amy Reese, while their three children were home.
Prosecutors say Amy pre-planned the crime and enlisted the help of her 12-year-old daughter for both planning and cleanup. The incident resulted in Amy's conviction and a life sentence in prison.
The case of Marlin Wade Reese's murder will be featured in the latest episode of Snapped. It is set to air on May 25, 2025, on Oxygen.
A legendary series will air on TNT! More details HERE.
Five important facts that describe what happened to Marlin Wade Reese
1) Marlin Wade Reese was shot while sleeping
Trending
Court documents stated that Marlin Wade Reese was shot twice in the head while asleep in his bed. As per NBC, prosecutors have said that his wife, Amy Reese, was the one who committed the shooting in October 2012.
The act of violence took place within the family's trailer home in Red Oak, Texas, and all three of their children—ages 12, 8, and 4—were inside the house at the time of the murder. Amy confessed to the police and during the trial that she fired a gunshot at her sleeping husband.
2) Amy Reese involved her 12-year-old daughter
As per CBS, the most crucial detail of the case is that Amy Reese involved her 12-year-old daughter, who had special needs, to assist in planning and executing the murder. Amy drove her children to a Walmart store in Waxahachie, where she bought materials to be used for hiding Marlin's body.
3) Child Protective Services had a history with the family
As per the documents from Ellis County & District Attorney, prosecutors provided testimony that CPS had been working with Amy Reese and her family since 2003. In 2009, CPS removed Amy's children from her care when she physically assaulted her husband and was discovered to have neglected her children.
The children were in foster care for six months before being returned to Amy. Before that, she was separated from her kids in 2009. Amy had also been determined to have physically abused her eldest daughter. The background was brought before the jury as evidence against Amy Reese.
4) Amy Reese claimed she was defending her daughter
According to NBC, during the trial and investigation, Amy Reese averred that she murdered Marlin Wade Reese to save her daughter from abuse. The prosecutors asserted that these were unsubstantiated claims.
The prosecutors argued that Amy had a trend of alleging abuse by her boyfriends once she was set to end a relationship with them. The jury was told that there was no evidence to validate Amy's abuse by Marlin.
5) Amy Reese was sentenced to life in prison
As per CBS, Amy Reese entered a guilty plea to her husband's murder before the trial was underway. The jury had to decide her punishment. The evidence presented about the murder, Amy's use of her daughter, her past with CPS, and her lack of remorse prompted the jury to sentence her to life in prison.
Amy won't be eligible for parole until she has served 30 years or more of her sentence. At trial, witnesses confirmed that Amy never expressed remorse for what she had done or for the effect it had upon her children and Marlin's family.
For more details about the murder of Marlin Wade Reese, watch Snapped on Oxygen.
