1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:04,880 Speaker 1: Crime Alard hourly update, breaking crime news Now I'm Nicole Parton. 2 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:08,880 Speaker 1: Justice has finally been served in the case of Karen Payitz, 3 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 1: the woman who mysteriously disappeared in twenty twenty one, culminating 4 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:18,800 Speaker 1: in a shocking revelation in her own backyard on Monday morning, 5 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: her sister, seventy two year old Deborah Patton, received a 6 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 1: life sentence for her sister's murder. The trial, which faced 7 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 1: numerous delays due to assessments of competency various legal tactics, 8 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: concluded when a Hillsboro County jury deliberated for just about 9 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 1: an hour before delivering a guilty verdict against Patten. Prosecutors 10 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: convincingly demonstrated that Patten shot her sister in the chest, 11 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:50,199 Speaker 1: then concealed her body in bags and buried it approximately 12 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:53,639 Speaker 1: a foot underground in the yard of a home they 13 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 1: shared on Cyprus Park Street. While the exact motive was 14 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: never clarified, friends of the victim testified that Patten had 15 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 1: been living in the house without paying rent, and that 16 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:07,960 Speaker 1: the relationship between the sisters had been strained for years. 17 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:11,320 Speaker 1: For those who knew Karen Paiis, the verdict brings a 18 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:15,960 Speaker 1: bittersweet sense of closure. During the trial, friends recounted Karen's 19 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 1: accelerating anxiety regarding her sister. One friend said, Karen told us, 20 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 1: if I ever go missing or something happens, Deborah is responsible. 21 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 1: Despite the underlying tensions, Karen's family insists she did not 22 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 1: evict Deborah due to her kind heart, frequently telling friends 23 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 1: she's my sister. I love her. She has no one else. 24 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: The case, which began in May twenty twenty one, saw 25 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:45,400 Speaker 1: nearly five years of delays. Shortly after her arrest, Patten 26 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 1: was deemed unfit for trial and spent two years in 27 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: a mental hospital. When she was eventually deemed competent to 28 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 1: return to court, she further postponed the proceedings by attempting 29 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 1: to change her legal representation and questioning the competency of 30 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: her law. I felt a lot of anger toward me, 31 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: Kathy's expressed in a January verdict. She said, I probably 32 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: still do, but it doesn't sting as much as now, 33 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:13,120 Speaker 1: knowing she will be behind bars, I won't have to 34 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 1: worry about her ever being released, and now I feel 35 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 1: there's some sense of closure for my dear friend. During 36 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 1: her sentencing, Patten spoke to the court and was observed 37 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: smiling and laughing at the judge, saying, one time, your honor, 38 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: thank you. I stand here blameless. I plan to appeal 39 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 1: your verdict, and I forgive your lies. Patten pledged to 40 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 1: continue the battle against the verdict. However, moments before sentencing 41 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: her to life in prison, Judge Robin Fusan addressed Patent directly. 42 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 1: Here's what the judge had to say. 43 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 2: I remember this evidence. I remember this case when I 44 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 2: first came in the cold, calculated way that you perpetrated 45 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 2: in this crowd. You say you stand up blameless, and 46 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:00,800 Speaker 2: nobody else agrees to you. I certainly don't. Your certains 47 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 2: and you'll be judge someday. If you're a god fear 48 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 2: in person, then you should fear God at this time 49 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:10,520 Speaker 2: because your crime is you're an incident. The evil the 50 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:14,919 Speaker 2: walks among us is indeasy by what you did. When 51 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 2: I watched the video and saw you just calmly take 52 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 2: the shovel and walk back into the house to bury 53 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 2: your sister's body. It's unfathomed watch that this is not 54 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 2: your time to speak, is your time to listen? 55 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:28,080 Speaker 1: All right? 56 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 2: I think you may think it's a joke. Well enjoy 57 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 2: yourself for the rest of your life. Is I'm going 58 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 2: to mandate you when you go to the prison for 59 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 2: the rest of your life twenty five years that has 60 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 2: an mandatory credit for all time creditors do. Then you'll 61 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 2: spend the rest of your life in prison. It's mudicated 62 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 2: guilty if I having already done so, that's all I 63 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 2: gotta say. 64 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: Thank care for now Patton will spend the rest of 65 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 1: her life. It's behind bars. More crime and justice news 66 00:03:55,360 --> 00:04:03,600 Speaker 1: after this. William Stevenson, the ex husband of former First 67 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: Lady Jill Biden, entered a plea of not guilty on 68 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: Tuesday regarding accusations that he murdered his current wife in Delaware. Stephenson, 69 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 1: seventy seven, was previously married to Jill Biden from nineteen 70 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:20,679 Speaker 1: seventy until they divorced in nineteen seventy five. This month, 71 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 1: a state grand jury indicted Stevenson on charges related to 72 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 1: the death of Lynda Stephenson, sixty four, who was discovered 73 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:32,239 Speaker 1: unresponsive in their Wilmington residence on December twenty eighth. Since 74 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 1: being charged with murder on February three, he has remained 75 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 1: in custody, unable to meet the two million dollar Bill. 76 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:43,920 Speaker 1: During Tuesday's court session in Wilmington. Stevenson participated via a 77 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 1: remote video link. His attorney, a public defender, was not 78 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: yet responding to request or comments, only saying the next 79 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 1: court date is scheduled for March sixteen. And now we 80 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 1: turn our focus to Alabama Dothan law enforcement that's in 81 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 1: Coffee Caum. They're attempting to find a missing girl. Still 82 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:05,840 Speaker 1: working on the details to understand how a three year 83 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:10,840 Speaker 1: old Genese's Nova Read is missing. The story began early 84 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:13,919 Speaker 1: Monday morning after her mother reported that she was missing 85 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 1: from their home on Apache Drive. A bolo be on 86 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 1: the lookout was sent out on Monday afternoon, claiming the 87 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: girl could be in danger. Trusted law enforcement sources in 88 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 1: Coffee County told local media groups, including WDHN that neighbors 89 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:33,039 Speaker 1: told investigators Jennison had not been seen on Apache Drive 90 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 1: for more than a month. Enterprise Police asked that anyone 91 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 1: who has seen Genesis since the beginning of the year 92 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:45,480 Speaker 1: contact the Enterprise Police Department at three three four three 93 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 1: four seven two two two two. The girl's mother told 94 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:52,920 Speaker 1: investigators that she woke up to find Genese's bedroom empty 95 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 1: and the front door open. Sources say they are attempting 96 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 1: to confirm the mother's story. Genesis report Quarterly was last 97 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 1: seen wearing pink mini mouse pajamas. Coffee County Sheriff's deputies, 98 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:09,280 Speaker 1: local fire departments, the State Bureau of Investigation, and local 99 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 1: FBI agents are continuing the search for the three year old. 100 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 1: Anyone with relevant information is asked to please come forward. 101 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 1: Police describe the three year old girl as a black female. 102 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:23,159 Speaker 1: She has her hair and braids, black hair, brown eyes. 103 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:27,080 Speaker 1: She weighs about forty five pounds. Again, if you have 104 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:31,039 Speaker 1: any information regarding missing Little Genesis, please call three three 105 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 1: four three four seven two two two two For the 106 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:37,719 Speaker 1: latest crime injustice news. Follow Crime Alert hourly update on 107 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:41,479 Speaker 1: your favorite podcasting app with this crime Alert. I'm Nicole 108 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 1: Partner