Authorities have charged the victims’ mother with capital murder while key questions about what preceded the shootings remain unanswered.
WAXAHACHIE, Texas — An affidavit cited by local news reports provides additional details about what deputies encountered at a Waxahachie home where two brothers were fatally shot, as their mother faces two counts of capital murder.
The affidavit adds to the account released by the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office after deputies responded to the home early Oct. 1. Colleen Nichole Lemmon, 42, is accused of shooting her sons, 21-year-old Christopher Scott Pitre and his 15-year-old brother. Authorities have not disclosed a motive, and the charges against Lemmon remain allegations as the criminal case moves forward.
Sheriff’s deputies were sent to the 900 block of Big Sky Drive at about 4:13 a.m. following a 911 call reporting an emergency. According to the sheriff’s office, deputies entered the residence and found two males with gunshot wounds.
Pitre, a Waxahachie resident, was pronounced dead at the home. His younger brother was transported to a hospital in critical condition and later died. Authorities have not publicly identified the 15-year-old, and the sheriff’s office said the boys’ father was notified of both deaths.
Local reporting citing an affidavit said deputies found Lemmon with a firearm nearby when they arrived. The document also describes statements Lemmon allegedly made to officers indicating that she had shot her children. Those statements are part of the investigative record described in the report and have not been tested in court.
The sheriff’s office said investigators gathered corroborating evidence during the investigation that gave them probable cause to identify Lemmon as the suspected shooter. Authorities have not publicly provided a full inventory of that evidence or explained what they believe prompted the violence.
Lemmon was found with injuries that authorities described as not life-threatening. She was taken to a hospital for treatment before being released and booked into the Wayne McCollum Detention Center. The sheriff’s office announced two capital murder charges against her.
The case has left several central questions unresolved. Investigators have not publicly described the events before the 911 call, identified a possible motive or provided a detailed timeline of what occurred inside the residence before deputies entered. Officials also have not released the younger victim’s identity.
Ellis County Sheriff Brad Norman offered condolences to the victims’ father, relatives and other loved ones in announcing the investigation. The sheriff’s office said the case remained ongoing, with further findings subject to the continuing investigation and court proceedings.
Author note: Last updated October 3, 2026.