A Fort Worth man has been sentenced to die after a Tarrant County jury found him guilty of beating and torturing a mother of two in February 2022.
A jury convicted Valerian “Will” O’Steen, 28, of Fort Worth, of murdering Marissa Grimes, 26, of Arlington, according to the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office.
O’Steen was arrested on domestic violence charges in connection with a previous incident involving Grimes in which he had threatening to kill her, according to a news release from the district attorney’s office.
O’Steen was released from jail on bond, but ordered to stay away from Grimes and told to wear an ankle monitor. But prosecutors said the threats against Grimes continued.
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Fearing for her life, Grimes planned to move to West Texas. She went to O’Steen’s home on Feb. 12, 2022, to say a quick goodbye, the release said. Prosecutors believe this was the last day Grimes was seen alive by one of O’Steen’s neighbors, who saw him threaten her with a gun.
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Grimes’ family reported her missing, and days later, her U-Haul truck was found a mile from O’Steen’s house, according to the release.
Grimes’ body was found in a crawl space under O’Steen’s home after Fort Worth police conducted a search warrant.
The case was prosecuted by Tarrant County Assistant District Attorneys Ellenna Bangs and Peter Gieseking.
“He dug her a shallow grave and lived above her for 10 days,” Bangs said in the release.
Grimes suffered broken bones, black eyes, bruising over her body, and hair chopped short in some places. The Tarrant County medical examiner’s office ruled her death a homicide caused by blunt force trauma to the head.
“This is not a place for mercy,” Bangs told the jury, according to the release. “That is not what we dispense. In this courthouse, we administer justice.”
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