Riley Ann Sawyers
Encyclopedia
Riley Ann Sawyers was a two-year-old girl from Mentor, Ohio
, who was beaten to death by her mother and stepfather, and whose body was subsequently discovered in Galveston Bay
. At this point police began a nationwide effort to identify her, and was known in the press as Baby Grace while her identity was unknown. Her identity was confirmed after her paternal grandmother, Sheryl Sawyers, notified police after seeing a composite sketch
of the child. The remains were positively identified through DNA testing
on November 30, 2007.
, to Robert Thomas Sawyers and Kimberly Dawn Trenor. Her mother was a sophomore at Mentor High School, and became pregnant at age fifteen. Robert Sawyers was a former student at Mentor High School, until he dropped out during his junior year. The family lived with Robert's mother Sheryl and her mother in Mentor, where Sheryl was Riley's primary caregiver. It was also during this time that Robert began having an affair with a woman named Catherine Priester. The two would later marry and have a son together.
In October 2006, alleging physical abuse and having filed domestic violence
charges, Trenor left the area with her daughter and "disappeared". Trenor moved with her daughter to Spring, Texas
, to marry Royce Clyde Zeigler, Jr. The two had met while playing on the online game World of Warcraft
, and they married on June 1, 2007, in Harris County, Texas. Zeigler believed Riley should be disciplined to say "Sir" and "Ma'am" to adults, and that corporal punishment
was the best means of disciplining a child. Believing that Trenor was not properly administering the beatings herself, Zeigler took over.
to purchase a plastic Sterilite storage container, wrapped Riley in garbage bags, and stuffed her corpse inside the container. They kept the container in a storage shed for approximately two months before dumping it into Galveston Bay, where it was discovered by local fisherman Robert Wayne Spinn on October 29, 2007. A coroner
discovered skull fracture
s and the investigation proceeded as a homicide
.
Shortly before Thanksgiving
in 2007, Zeigler attempted suicide via overdosing on blood pressure medication and prescribed anti-depressants. He left a suicide note
stating: "My wife is innocent of the sins I committed". Trenor and Zeigler eventually took responsibility for Riley Ann's death, initially charged with injury to a child and tampering with evidence. Trenor said that the death was accidental—"a case of discipline that went too far." However, he later claimed during his trial that he was in another room of the house when Riley had died, so could not have been guilty.
On January 14, 2008, the cremated remains of Riley Ann Sawyers were turned over to her family in Ohio, after a Texas judge ruled that samples taken during the autopsy would be sufficient evidence for trial.
Zeigler, Texas Department of Criminal Justice
(TDCJ) #01605580, is currently incarcerated in the Powledge Unit. Previously he was incarcerated at the Allred Unit
. Trenor, TDCJ# 01549893, is incarcerated in the Mountain View Unit
. Her first parole eligibility date is November 24, 2047.
Mentor, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 50,278 people, 18,797 households, and 14,229 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,878.2 people per square mile . There were 19,301 housing units at an average density of 721.0 per square mile...
, who was beaten to death by her mother and stepfather, and whose body was subsequently discovered in Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay is a large estuary located along the upper coast of Texas in the United States. It is connected to the Gulf of Mexico and is surrounded by sub-tropic marshes and prairies on the mainland. The water in the Bay is a complex mixture of sea water and fresh water which supports a wide...
. At this point police began a nationwide effort to identify her, and was known in the press as Baby Grace while her identity was unknown. Her identity was confirmed after her paternal grandmother, Sheryl Sawyers, notified police after seeing a composite sketch
Facial composite
A facial composite is a graphical representation of an eyewitness's memory of a face, as recorded by a composite artist. Facial composites are used mainly by police in their investigation of crimes.-PhotoFIT generation:...
of the child. The remains were positively identified through DNA testing
Genetic fingerprinting
DNA profiling is a technique employed by forensic scientists to assist in the identification of individuals by their respective DNA profiles. DNA profiles are encrypted sets of numbers that reflect a person's DNA makeup, which can also be used as the person's identifier...
on November 30, 2007.
Background
Riley Ann Sawyers was born at Geauga Regional Hospital in Mentor, OhioMentor, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 50,278 people, 18,797 households, and 14,229 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,878.2 people per square mile . There were 19,301 housing units at an average density of 721.0 per square mile...
, to Robert Thomas Sawyers and Kimberly Dawn Trenor. Her mother was a sophomore at Mentor High School, and became pregnant at age fifteen. Robert Sawyers was a former student at Mentor High School, until he dropped out during his junior year. The family lived with Robert's mother Sheryl and her mother in Mentor, where Sheryl was Riley's primary caregiver. It was also during this time that Robert began having an affair with a woman named Catherine Priester. The two would later marry and have a son together.
In October 2006, alleging physical abuse and having filed domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
charges, Trenor left the area with her daughter and "disappeared". Trenor moved with her daughter to Spring, Texas
Spring, Texas
Spring, Texas is a census-designated place within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston in Harris County, Texas, United States, north of Downtown Houston. The population was 54,298 at the 2010 census...
, to marry Royce Clyde Zeigler, Jr. The two had met while playing on the online game World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
, and they married on June 1, 2007, in Harris County, Texas. Zeigler believed Riley should be disciplined to say "Sir" and "Ma'am" to adults, and that corporal punishment
Corporal punishment
Corporal punishment is a form of physical punishment that involves the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offence, or for the purpose of disciplining or reforming a wrongdoer, or to deter attitudes or behaviour deemed unacceptable...
was the best means of disciplining a child. Believing that Trenor was not properly administering the beatings herself, Zeigler took over.
Death
According to a videotaped confession and signed affidavit from Trenor, on July 24, 2007, she and Zeigler beat Riley with two leather belts and held her head underwater in the bathtub. She also said Zeigler picked her daughter up by her hair, threw her across the room, which caused her to slam her head into the tile floor. Finally Riley, hurt from the beating, was unable to stand when ordered to do so. “She didn’t have control of her legs,” Trenor said. When they realized Riley was dead, Trenor and Zeigler went to Wal-MartWal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
to purchase a plastic Sterilite storage container, wrapped Riley in garbage bags, and stuffed her corpse inside the container. They kept the container in a storage shed for approximately two months before dumping it into Galveston Bay, where it was discovered by local fisherman Robert Wayne Spinn on October 29, 2007. A coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
discovered skull fracture
Skull fracture
A skull fracture is a break in one or more of the bones in the skull usually occurring as a result of blunt force trauma. If the force of the impact is excessive the bone may fracture at or near the site of the impact...
s and the investigation proceeded as a homicide
Homicide
Homicide refers to the act of a human killing another human. Murder, for example, is a type of homicide. It can also describe a person who has committed such an act, though this use is rare in modern English...
.
Shortly before Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving (United States)
Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November. It has officially been an annual tradition since 1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday,...
in 2007, Zeigler attempted suicide via overdosing on blood pressure medication and prescribed anti-depressants. He left a suicide note
Suicide note
A suicide note or death note is a message that states the author has died by suicide, and left to be discovered and read in anticipation of suicide....
stating: "My wife is innocent of the sins I committed". Trenor and Zeigler eventually took responsibility for Riley Ann's death, initially charged with injury to a child and tampering with evidence. Trenor said that the death was accidental—"a case of discipline that went too far." However, he later claimed during his trial that he was in another room of the house when Riley had died, so could not have been guilty.
On January 14, 2008, the cremated remains of Riley Ann Sawyers were turned over to her family in Ohio, after a Texas judge ruled that samples taken during the autopsy would be sufficient evidence for trial.
Murder convictions
Trenor was convicted of capital murder on February 2, 2009. It took the jury 90 minutes to reach a verdict. Trenor received a life sentence with the possibility of parole in 38 years. Zeigler also faced charges of capital murder as well as evidence tampering. On November 6, 2009, he was convicted of capital murder and received an automatic sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, as the state did not seek the death penalty.Zeigler, Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is a department of the government of the state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails and private correctional facilities, funding and certain...
(TDCJ) #01605580, is currently incarcerated in the Powledge Unit. Previously he was incarcerated at the Allred Unit
Allred Unit
The James V. Allred Unit is a prison for males located on Farm to Market Road 369 in Wichita Falls, Texas, United States, northwest of downtown Wichita Falls. The prison is in proximity to Iowa Park...
. Trenor, TDCJ# 01549893, is incarcerated in the Mountain View Unit
Mountain View Unit
Mountain View Unit is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison housing female offenders in Gatesville, Texas. The unit, with about of land, is located north of central Gatesville on Farm to Market Road 215. The prison is located in a 45 minute driving distance from Waco...
. Her first parole eligibility date is November 24, 2047.
External links
- Riley Ann Sawyers at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...