In early June 2009, Debra Jeter slashed the throats of her two children, Kelsey and Kiersten, and called 911 to report the murders. She intended to kill both children, but miraculously, Kiersten survived stab wounds and a slashed throat. The 13-year-old begged her mom to call for help, and Debra obliged.
Despite possessing nursing skills, Debra refused to attend to her daughter, choosing to stroll around the abandoned house she’d selected for her crimes as she waited for emergency services to arrive. Emergency surgery at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas, saved Kiersten’s life.
Unfortunately, Kelsey was dead by the time deputies got to her.
Debra is imprisoned in Texas, where she’ll spend the rest of her life
Debra talked to the dispatcher until deputies arrived at the scene. They found her with her arms up, a phone in one hand, and the murder victim placed on the roof of a nearby car.
The police arrested Debra and placed her on suicide watch at Hill County Law Enforcement Center. Authorities charged her with attempted capital murder and capital murder.
Nearly a year after the murders, Debra pled guilty to the charges. She accepted a plea deal that gave her life without parole. The agreement allowed her to avoid the death penalty and prevented Kiersten from testifying in Debra’s trial.
Debra met her estranged husband, Lester Lee Jeter, and their daughter Kiersten before authorities transferred her to a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison unit in Gatesville.
Jeter reportedly told Lester that she hated him for instituting separation proceedings and trying to take the children away. However, she expressed remorse for her actions.
Lester reported that Debra felt heartbroken about the divorce and custody battle and didn’t want the children to feel such pain. “She figured if she felt that way, then we all must feel that way and she wanted to take away all of our pain.” Lee said.
Debra reportedly shared some lighthearted moments with Kiersten during their last meeting.
As far as we can tell, Debra Jeter remains incarcerated in Texas. She’ll spend the rest of her life in the state’s prison system.
Lester Jeter remarried, and Kiersten Jeter adopted a private life
Several years after Debra’s incarceration, Lester Jeter found love again and remarried. According to his Facebook page, he married Emily Jeter on 24th July 2015.
Kiersten adopted a private life following the incident. She has two posts on Facebook, one pleading with people to respect her privacy. Kiersten writes:
“I really appreciate the kind words you all have for me. But if you only know of me because you found my story on YouTube or somewhere else please do not message me or send me a friend request. Respect my privacy please.”
Jeter also has a private Instagram account featuring a similar message: “If you don’t know me or don’t have mutual friends with me DON’T TRY TO FOLLOW ME.”
At the time of writing, Kiersten has 185 posts on the page, showing she enjoys sharing content on Instagram. The description features a quote that we assume refers to Kelsey: “She was beautiful, deep down to her soul.”
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