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Murders on my mind
By ALongLook in The Write Stuff
January 28, 2009

Yesterday, Jan. 27, marked the 17th anniversary of the triple homicides of the Butts family in East Texas that I am writing a book about.

Seventeen years! Mackenzie, only two at the time she was drowned in the bathtub, would be 19 years old this year. That is staggering to imagine. And her big sister Jessica, 11 at the time, would be 28.

But perhaps finally,  maybe finally, some sort of closure or finality can come to this case as the man originally charged with the crimes, Kevin Hailey, is scheduled to go to trial in September. In October of 1992 a grand jury issued a No Bill, saying there wasn't enough evidence to indict Hailey. In 2007, with new DNA evidence developed, a grand jury indicted him. He was already in prison in Louisiana serving time for attempted murder.

One agent who read my book proposal told me to get back with her after the trial.

Just as the clock strikes another year on that case, a more local case, too, is coming to a head.

In Gonzales, the trial of Steve and Bettie Ramirez, charged with starving their adopted daughter Crystal to death (and beating her), begins Monday with jury selection. Crystal died in August 2007.

I'll be there for every word.

Keep writing!

www.SonnyLong.com