Texas Mom’s Alleged Confession Stuns Deputies

yellow sheriff's line tape blocks a street near police cars — Photo: mikeledray / Shutterstock

Texas deputies say a Waxahachie mother confessed after both of her sons were shot, and she now faces two capital murder charges.

Story Snapshot

Ellis County deputies charged Colleen Nichole Lemmon, 42, with two counts of capital murder.
Investigators said scene evidence identified Lemmon as the suspected shooter.
An arrest affidavit reportedly quotes Lemmon saying, “I shot both my kids”.
One son died at the home; the younger son died later at a hospital.

What Investigators Say Happened in Waxahachie

Ellis County authorities said they found two brothers shot inside a Waxahachie home on October 1, 2026. Deputies reported that the older son, described as 21 years old, died at the scene. The younger son, 15, was taken to a hospital and later died, according to local reports. The sheriff’s office said the mother, Colleen Nichole Lemmon, 42, was identified as the suspect based on evidence at the scene and has been charged with two counts of capital murder.

Deputies said they located Lemmon at the home, injured, and that she received medical care before being booked into the Wayne McCollum Detention Center. The sheriff’s office said detectives developed probable cause through corroborating evidence recovered during the investigation. News outlets reported that an arrest affidavit described Lemmon as covered in blood with a gun next to her when deputies arrived. These are early case details based on law enforcement accounts and reported affidavit summaries.

Key Evidence Described in the Reported Affidavit

Media accounts of an arrest affidavit say deputies asked Lemmon about the blood on her. She allegedly replied, “I shot both my kids”. That alleged statement, if admitted in court, could be central to the case. Investigators also pointed to evidence gathered at the scene that led them to identify her as the suspected shooter. While charging decisions rest with prosecutors and a judge, detectives said the physical evidence supported probable cause for the two capital murder counts.

Some details in public reporting vary on spelling of a victim’s last name and the older son’s exact age, with one outlet listing him as 21 and another saying 22. Such mismatches are not unusual in fast-moving cases and are typically resolved when formal court records and medical examiner reports are released. Officials have not stated a motive. The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains active, and more information may come through court filings.

How Texas Law Frames These Charges

Texas law treats some killings as capital murder based on the victim’s status or age. Prosecutors often file capital charges when a child victim is involved, and courts have said the aggravating factor can be the victim’s age, not a separate intent beyond the killing. That legal structure helps explain why child-homicide cases often move quickly to capital charges. Sentences for capital murder can include life in prison without parole or, in some cases, the death penalty, depending on statutory factors and decisions by prosecutors.

“I shot both my kids.”

Christopher Pitre, 21, and an unidentified 15 yo male juvenile were both shot in the head by their mother, Colleen Nichole Lemmon, at her Waxahachie, TX home on Thursday October 1, 2026.

Ellis County Sheriff Deputies found her hiding next to her home,… pic.twitter.com/Kb2YUpgSjV

— Kiki Danger (@itskikidanger) October 3, 2026

Cases like this also fit into a rare form of family homicide. Research reviews find that familicides are uncommon and most often involve male offenders, though mothers have been charged in some tragic cases. That rarity adds to the shock when allegations involve a mother and her own children. Still, early reporting in violent crimes often leans on police summaries before full records appear. Court dockets, affidavits, autopsy reports, and lab findings will provide firmer detail as the case proceeds.