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2012 Waller killings

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2012 Waller killings
Map of Waller County, Texas
LocationWaller, Texas, U.S.
DateMarch 20, 2012 (12 years ago)
c. 1:00 p.m. (CDT)
TargetFamily members
Attack type
familicide, shooting, triple-murder
WeaponsShotgun
Hi-Point model 995 carbine rifle (unused)
Deaths3
Injured0
VictimsRhonda Wyse Sesler
Mark Alan Sesler
Lawton Ray Sesler Jr.
PerpetratorTrey Eric Sesler
Motive
VerdictPlead guilty to all charges
ChargesCapital murder (3 counts)

The 2012 Waller killings, also known as the Sesler family murders took place on March 20, 2012, when Trey Eric Sesler, a 22-year-old YouTuber, shot and killed his parents and older brother in Waller, Texas. He had planned to perpetrate a school shooting at Waller High School after murdering his family.[5][6] Police were called to the family home at 1 p.m. the same day and found the bodies of his mother Rhonda Sesler, his father Lawton Sesler and his brother Mark Sesler.[7][8] Investigators say that Sesler was heavily inspired by the Columbine High School massacre.[3]

Shooting and arrest

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On Monday, March 19, 2012, someone reported gunshots coming from the family home; however, nothing was discovered by police when they arrived.[8][6][7]

At some point before 1 p.m. the following day, Sesler lured his mother Rhonda Sesler to the garage and shot her at point blank range with a shotgun four times. His father is believed to have been asleep at this time. He then walked back inside the home and shot his brother. At this point his father was awoken by the gunshots and was shot.[9] After the shootings, Sesler wrote things such as: "I love my mom, dad and brother" and "God forgive me because I cannot forgive myself." all over the family home.[10][11] Waller police chief, Phil Rehak, described the crime scene as a "war zone".[12]

Sesler loaded his 2010 black Ford Mustang with a Hi-Point model 995 carbine rifle and over 100 rounds of ammunition. He drove to Waller High School, from which Sesler had graduated, and sat in the parking lot before driving to a friends home. Police received a call from family members asking for a welfare check, as they hadn't heard from anyone in the house. Police went to the home at 1 p.m. and the bodies of Sesler's family were discovered and an arrest warrant was issued for him.[11][13] Sesler was arrested at a friends house in Magnolia, Texas at 9:30 p.m. the same day.[2][14][15]

After the shooting, Sesler told investigators that he killed his family as he didn't want them to be ashamed of him perpetrating the school shooting, but backed out as it all became "too real".[16] He was placed on suicide watch within days of his arrest.[17]

Aftermath

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After the shooting, Sesler contacted extended family members and apologized for his actions.[18] His cousin, Dr. Robin Warner, said the family did not know about his online activities. Waller residents were deeply disturbed by the case.[18]

Victims

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The three people murdered consisted of his mother, father and older brother:

  • Rhonda Wyse Sesler, 57, mother of Sesler, first to be killed[6]
  • Mark Alan Sesler, 26, older brother of Sesler, second to be killed[6]
  • Lawton Ray Sesler Jr, 58, father of Sesler, last to be killed[6]

Rhonda and Lawton were married for 34 years prior to the shooting. Rhonda worked at The Waller Times and Lawton was a teacher at Robison Elementary School.[19][20][21]

Perpetrator

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Trey Eric Sesler (born 3 August 1989)[22] is a former YouTuber who went by the alias "Mr. Anime".[1] Sesler told investigators that he heavily studied mass murderers and serial killers and had a desire of perpetrating a school shooting at Waller High School.[11]

Sesler admitted to investigators that he committed other crimes prior to the shooting, including killing animals and shooting near schools in the middle of the night.[4] He had no criminal record prior to the shooting.[23][24] Investigators called Sesler "a classic example of a killer who starts with small crimes and builds up to the unthinkable."[2]

YouTube channel

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On September 14, 2006, Sesler created the channel "Mr. Anime" and another called "LensCapProductions".[22][25] Sesler's first few years on YouTube consisted of anime series reviews on his Mr. Anime channel and skits on his LensCapProductions channel.[25][5] On December 27, 2011, Sesler posted a video telling his fans that he had been diagnosed with pneumothorax. Sesler would regularly show weapons in his now deleted YouTube videos.[11][25] One month before the shooting, Sesler posted a video titled "Mr. Anime is planning something". In the video, he said he would be taking a "two or three-week break". He never disclosed what he was planning, however, investigators believe he was hinting towards the shooting.[11][26]

Murder obsession

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According to authorities, Sesler was heavily inspired by mass murder events such as the Columbine High School massacre and the Virginia Tech shooting, and had researched both events extensively.[2][3][4] Investigators found a list that Sesler had created on his computer which studied and graded at least eight serial killers.[4][24][27]

Sentencing

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Sesler was arrested and charged with three counts of capital murder shortly after the family shooting.[23][12] On August 2, 2012, Sesler plead guilty to all charges and was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.[27][23] The Waller police chief described the courtroom as "somber" and didn't hear Sesler speak during sentencing.[28][24]

Many residents of Waller suspected Sesler would receive the death penalty and were disappointed in the sentence handed down.[28]

As of 2024, Sesler is serving his sentence in the Terrell Unit in unincorporated Brazoria County, Texas.[23] Previously, he was located in the McConnell Unit, located in unincorporated Bee County, Texas.[29]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Historian, The True (21 December 2021). "Gun-Obsessed Texan Boy Gunned Down His Family Before Initiating a Mass Shooting". Medium. Medium. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d KHOU Staff (30 October 2013). "Investigators: Waller man accused of killing family studied serial killers, graded their work". KHOU. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Wise, Lindsay; Hassan, Anita (21 March 2012). "Police: Man charged in Waller deaths planned Columbine-like attack". Chron. Chron. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d Wise, Lindsay; Christian, Carol (22 March 2012). "Shooting suspect studied serial killers, massacres, officers say". CHRON. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  5. ^ a b Wiseand, Lindsay; Hassan, Anita (21 March 2012). "Police: Man held in Waller killings had massacre plan". mysanantonio. mysanantonio. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e Wise, Lindsay (30 March 2012). "Son expected to plead not guilty in Waller family deaths". CHRON. CHRON. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  7. ^ a b Carroll, Susan (24 March 2012). "Conflicting pictures of Waller killings suspect emerge". CHRON. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Trey Sesler (22) shot and killed three members of his family". MyDeathSpace. 22 March 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  9. ^ Student, Anonymous. "Unveiling Darkness: The Trey Sesler Story". studocu.com. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  10. ^ "Authorities: Man admits he shot and killed three of his family members in Waller County". ABC 7. 23 March 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d e Thompson, Emily G. (24 November 2022). "Mr. Anime & The Massacre of the Seslers". Morbidology. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Man pleads guilty to killing family". Click2Houston. 3 August 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  13. ^ Glenn, Mike; George, Cindy (21 March 2012). "Son arrested in slayings of 3 in family". CHRON. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  14. ^ Bauer, Jennifer (21 March 2012). "Man suspected of killing family captured". Click2Houston. Click2Houston. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  15. ^ Garrett, Jeannette. "Mr. Anime Loves God and His Family". Crime Magazine. Jeannette garrett. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  16. ^ Gosh, Ishan (18 October 2020). "YouTube Star Left Trails of Clues Online Before Killing His Family and Attempting School Shooting". International Business Times. International Business Times. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  17. ^ KHOU Staff (23 March 2012). "Psychologist weighs in on what went wrong with Waller triple-murder suspect". KHOU. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  18. ^ a b Kvue Staff (23 March 2012). "Waller police: Triple-murder suspect apologized for killing family". KVUE. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  19. ^ "Waller man who killed his family sentenced to life in prison without parole". KHOU11. August 3, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  20. ^ Dean, Stephen (March 21, 2012). "Mass-shooting plot revealed in Waller family's murders". Click 2 Houston. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  21. ^ "Police arrest 22-year-old accused of killing family members in Waller". ABC13. March 21, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  22. ^ a b Mullen, Shauna (2022). "The Youtuber Who Killed His Family". Vocal Media. Vocal Media. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  23. ^ a b c d "Inmate Information Details SESLER,TREY ERIC". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  24. ^ a b c "Waller man gets life for killing 3 in his family". yourconroenews. yourconroenews. 3 August 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  25. ^ a b c Mercedes, J.E. (21 April 2023). "Trey Sesler AKA Mr. Anime Kills Entire Family". Medium. Medium. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  26. ^ Hall, Michael (21 January 2013). ""Mr. Anime is Planning Something"". Texas Monthly. Texas Monthly. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  27. ^ a b "Hempstead man gets life for deaths of parents, brother". Beaumont Enterprise. Associated Press. 3 August 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  28. ^ a b "Waller man accused of killing his family pleads guilty". ABC7 Chicago. 3 August 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  29. ^ "Trey Eric Sesler". Texas Tribune. Archived from the original on 15 October 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
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