DAMON LEE BUTLER is led by Bryan County Undersheriff Ken Golden to an initial appearance Tuesday where he was arraigned on two counts of first-degree murder.
An initial appearance was held Tuesday for Damon Lee Butler, 33, charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Vivian Pierce, 28, and her mother, Rebecca Pierce, 56.
The victims were found Saturday evening at Vivian’s Calera home. According to authorities, Butler was Vivian’s boyfriend and she planned to break up with him.
According to a probable-cause affidavit, friends tried to contact Vivian on Saturday and had been unable to find her. Rebecca Pierce was with Butler late that morning looking for her daughter.
The affidavit states that Rebecca told Vivian’s friends that Butler said he and Vivian had been fighting and that she left. A friend of Vivian’s said she last spoke with Rebecca by telephone at approximately 11:20 a.m. Saturday.
Calera Police were dispatched to Vivian’s Section Line Road residence at approximately 10 p.m. Saturday after Vivian’s body was found in a bathtub, according to a dispatch log.
After police arrived, Rebecca’s body was found in another bathroom, according to authorities, and both victims had been beaten and suffered knife wounds.
Butler was arrested Sunday by Trooper Johnny Christian, who is a member of the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force. Butler told Calera Police Chief Don Hyde that he did not kill the women but had been forced to watch, the affidavit states.
During Tuesday’s hearing, people wept as Butler was brought into the second-floor courtroom. A copy of the charges was handed to Butler and Special District Judge Trace Sherrill read the charges aloud and asked the defendant if he understood.
Butler, showing no emotion, quietly responded “Yes sir,” or nodded when the judge asked him questions.
District Attorney Emily Redman asked that bail be denied and Sherrill agreed.
Sherrill told Butler that he needed to obtain an attorney and set a March preliminary hearing conference.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Butler asked when he could place a telephone call and said he had not been allowed to do so. A man attending the hearing interrupted and called Butler vicious and said he would “rot in hell.”
Others attending the hearing restrained the man and Butler was quickly escorted out of the courtroom. Everyone else was ordered to remain inside the courtroom until Butler was taken back to jail.
A preliminary hearing conference for Butler was set for March 5.
Funeral services for the Pierces will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Victory Life Chapel in Durant.
Memorial funds for the Pierces have been established at First United Bank & Trust and contributions may be made at any branch bank.
loyce, I think he was employed as a truck driver.
YOU MUST HAD PROMISED HER AN AWFUL LOT OF SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL!!!
YOU HAVE TAKE 2 FAMILY MEMBERS AWAY FROM ALOT OF PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM 2.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THEY FOUGHT YOU TO THE VERY END!
BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW HOW THEM 2 WERE. THEY WERE NOT WEAK PUSH-OVER TYPE GALS.
THAT EXPLAINS THEM SCRATCHES ON YOU TOO!
I PRAY THAT WHEN YOUR JUDGEMENT DAY COMES BEFORE THE LORD THAT YOU RECIEVE THE WORST OF THE WORST EVER FOR WHAT YOU DID TO REBECCA AND VIVIAN.
ALSO, I HOPE IT EATS AT YOU EVERY SECOND OF EVERY DAY OF THE REST OF YOU LIFE FOR WHAT YOU DID TO THEM AND TOOK THEM AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILY.
OH...AND PLEASE DON'T TRY AND SAY THAT YOU WERE NOT IN YOUR RIGHT MIND TO TRY AND GET A LESSER SENTANCE. YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE DOING!
YOU HAD IT ALL PLANED OUT FOR WHEN VIVIAN CAME BACK HOME.
BUT, YOU DID'T THINK REBECCA WOULD SHOW UP TO LOOKING FOR VIVIAN AND YOU PLAYED ALONG TO LOOK FOR HER THEN HAD ANOTHER FIGHT ON YOUR HANDS FROM REBECCA.
I HOPE THE SYSTEM DON'T JUST LET YOU LAY UP IN THERE AND THE TAX PAYERS FEED AND WATER YOU FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!
TOO BAD SOMEONE COULDN'T GET AHOLD YOU AND MAKE BLEED AND THEN THROW YOU INTO A LARGE HOG PEN!
THIS MSG IS FROM 2 PIERCE FAMILY MEMBERS NANNA IN TEXAS