Ellis County deputies arrested a 42-year-old mother early Thursday after finding her two sons fatally shot inside a home on Big Sky Drive in Waxahachie, Texas.
Colleen Nichole Lemmon now faces two counts of capital murder. Authorities say evidence at the scene gave them probable cause to believe she shot both of her children. She is being held on a $2.5 million bond.
Fox News Digital reported that the call came in just before 4:15 a.m. as an “unknown emergency.” Deputies entered the residence and discovered two male victims with gunshot wounds.
Christopher Scott Pitre, 21, was pronounced dead at the scene. His younger brother, a 15-year-old boy, was rushed to a hospital in critical condition and later died.
Law enforcement located Lemmon inside the residence with non-life-threatening injuries. FOX 4 obtained the arrest affidavit and described her as covered in blood, with what appeared to be self-inflicted lacerations on her wrists and a handgun nearby.
The affidavit states that Lemmon allegedly told officers a direct admission.
"I shot both my kids."
Ellis County Sheriff’s Office personnel recovered evidence that, in their assessment, established probable cause she was responsible for shooting both children. Deputies took her into custody, transported her to a local hospital for treatment, and charged her with two counts of capital murder.
Capital murder in Texas is the state’s most serious homicide charge. It applies in cases involving multiple victims or other aggravating factors and can carry the harshest available penalties under state law.
Scott Pitre, the boys’ father, spoke with NBC 5. He said his younger son had recently celebrated his 15th birthday and that he wants justice for his sons.
Neighbor Ida Brown spoke to FOX 4 about the killings on the street.
"It’s heartbreaking, and I’m praying for them."
Ellis County Sheriff Brad Norman issued a public statement offering condolences to the family.
"My deepest sympathies go out to the victims’ father, family members, and loved ones involved in this tragic incident. They will remain in our prayers during this difficult time."
Lemmon remains charged with two counts of capital murder and is held on the $2.5 million bond. The Ellis County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the fatal shootings.
Authorities have not publicly released a motive. Investigators have not said what prompted the early-morning emergency call beyond describing it as an “unknown emergency.” No public results have been released about ballistic testing, the precise path of the gunshot wounds, or any digital or written evidence recovered beyond the handgun and the scene description already provided.
The full name of the 15-year-old victim has not been released in the reporting. The specific hospital that treated the teenager and Lemmon has not been named. The exact Texas Penal Code provisions attached to the capital murder counts beyond the charge titles themselves have not been detailed in the available accounts.
Investigators will need to determine the sequence of events inside the residence, the origin of Lemmon’s wrist injuries, and any statements or forensic findings that further establish or contest the probable-cause determination already made.
At this stage Lemmon is a charged defendant, not a convicted one. The case rests on the arrest, the recovered evidence, the alleged admission, and the medical outcomes of the two victims. A capital murder prosecution requires the state to prove each element beyond a reasonable doubt if the case proceeds to trial.
Bond at $2.5 million signals the seriousness with which the court views the risk and the charges. Pretrial proceedings will address discovery, any motions challenging the affidavit or the statements, and the strength of the forensic link between the handgun, the wounds, and the defendant.
The boys’ father has already framed the family’s interest in clear terms: justice for his sons. That demand sits against a backdrop of two young men dead, one still a teenager who had just marked a birthday, and a mother now facing the highest level of homicide charges Texas law allows.
Local law enforcement moved quickly from the 4:15 a.m. call to an arrest and formal charges. The public record so far centers on what deputies observed, what the affidavit describes, and the official statements of sympathy. Everything else remains for the investigation and the courts to test.
When children die by gunfire inside their own home, the justice system’s first duty is clear: secure the evidence, name the charges, and let the facts decide guilt or innocence without delay or excuse.
