A Tarrant County, Texas, jury has sentenced 28-year-old Valerian “Will” O’Steen to death for the brutal murder of 26-year-old Marissa Grimes, a mother of two.
According to CBS Texas, the case dates back to early 2022, when Grimes repeatedly faced threats and controlling behaviour from O’Steen. On January 9, 2022, O’Steen was arrested for domestic violence after forcibly keeping Grimes at his residence. She only managed to contact her father, prompting police intervention.
Four days later, O’Steen was released on bail under an ankle monitor and a no-contact order. Despite this, he harboured resentment and even threatened to kill Grimes. Prosecutors Allena Bangs and Peter Gieseking told the court that O’Steen was “extremely angry” after being charged and sought to have the case dropped and his monitoring device removed. Grimes’ family advised her to leave West Texas for safety, but she continued to stay in contact with O’Steen.
On February 12, 2022, Grimes drove a U-Haul truck filled with moving belongings to O’Steen’s home to say goodbye. That evening, the two visited neighbours, where O’Steen was seen threatening her with a firearm. This marked the last confirmed sighting of Grimes.
Nine days later, police discovered her abandoned U-Haul less than a mile from O’Steen’s residence. On February 22, a search warrant allowed authorities to enter O’Steen’s home on Locke Avenue, where suspicious signs led to the discovery of Grimes’ body buried in a shallow space beneath the house. Prosecutors told the jury that O’Steen had dug a shallow grave and continued living above it for 10 days.
Autopsy reports revealed Grimes died from blunt force trauma to the head. She had fractured arms, ribs, and nose, facial bruising, multiple head lacerations, and bruises on her limbs. Some of her hair had even been forcibly cut. Prosecutor Gieseking described her death as a result of “beatings and torture.”
The prosecution presented a complete chain of evidence proving O’Steen had the motive, opportunity, and means to commit the crime, leading the jury to hand down a death sentence. Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells praised Fort Worth police for their investigation and thanked the prosecution team, including investigator Tim Pinckney and victim assistance officer Clara Salvatierra, for their work.
