Where is Amy Reese now? Details explored ahead of Snapped on Oxygen

Amy Reese received a life sentence in a Texas prison for murdering her husband, Marlin Wade Reese. In April of 2015, a jury in Ellis County convicted her of fatally shooting her husband twice in the head as he lay sleeping in their home in Red Oak, Texas. The murder occurred in October 2012. Amy Reese pleaded guilty to the murder during her trial.

She was 39 years old when she was sentenced. The case was particularly notable because Amy made her 12-year-old daughter, who, according to The Dallas Morning News, was on the autism spectrum, complicit in plotting and attempting to hide the crime. As per court records, Amy would be ineligible for parole until she served a minimum of 30 years of her life sentence.

The case of Amy Reese and her crime is the focus of the latest episode of Snapped on Oxygen. The episode will air on May 25, 2025, at 6 pm ET.

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Amy Reese's conviction and sentencing

As per CBS, Amy Reese was convicted of killing her husband, Marlin Wade Reese, in Ellis County, Texas. She shot Marlin as he slept in their bed in October 2012, CBS reported. Amy and her 12-year-old daughter then attempted to get rid of the evidence. At her trial, Amy pleaded guilty and asked the jury for leniency when determining her sentence.

During her trial, she claimed that she was acting in defense of her daughter, who she claimed was being assaulted by Marlin, but these claims did not have grounds for proof. According to The Dallas Morning News, the Ellis County District Attorney claimed that it was a "cold, calculated murder that was not committed in the heat of passion."

The jury sentenced her to life in prison after learning of her background with Child Protective Services (CPS) and the circumstances surrounding the crime, according to Ellis County records. NBC reported that the sentencing occurred on April 21, 2015.

She would not be eligible for parole until she had served at least 30 years of her life sentence, based on court documents and news accounts. This means Amy Reese would not be able to seek parole until at least 2045.

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Life in prison

As per NBC, Amy is presently a prisoner in a Texas state prison, operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

While on trial, the prosecutors showed the jury records of Amy's history with Child Protective Services, including previous instances of abuse and neglect. Witnesses also testified that Amy had shown no remorse for her actions and how they had affected Marlin, his family, and her children. All these contributed to her sentencing to life imprisonment.

Representative photo of a criminal arrest (Image via Pexels)

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Reese's future and parole eligibility

Amy's earliest available date of release is 30 years since her sentencing in 2015. Under Texas law, parole eligibility does not necessarily mean she will be released. Instead, it permits the parole board to examine her case and determine whether or not she is suitable to be released under supervision.

What the parole board looks at when deciding includes the type of crime, the inmate's behavior while incarcerated, and input from the families of the victims. As per CBS, if Amy Reese is not granted parole during her initial eligibility, she is to stay behind bars, with subsequent reviews being scheduled by Texas parole policy. In the meantime, Reese continues to fulfill her life sentence within the Texas prison system.

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For more details about this case, watch Snapped on Oxygen at 6 pm ET. Viewers can also watch the episode the next day on Peacock.