Authorities say two brothers, ages 21 and 15, were fatally shot inside a Waxahachie home early Oct. 1.
WAXAHACHIE, Texas — A 42-year-old Texas woman faces two counts of capital murder after authorities accused her of fatally shooting her two sons inside their Waxahachie home early Thursday, according to the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office.
Colleen Nichole Lemmon was arrested after deputies responded about 4:13 a.m. Oct. 1 to a home in the 900 block of Big Sky Drive following a 911 call reporting an emergency. Deputies found two males suffering from gunshot wounds inside the residence. Christopher Scott Pitre, 21, was pronounced dead at the scene. His 15-year-old brother was taken to a hospital in critical condition and later died, authorities said. The sheriff’s office initially withheld the younger victim’s name because he was a juvenile.
Lemmon was also found at the residence with injuries that authorities described as not life-threatening. She was taken into custody and transported to a hospital for treatment before being booked into the Wayne McCollum Detention Center in Waxahachie. Investigators said evidence recovered during the investigation gave them probable cause to believe Lemmon was responsible for both shootings. The charges are allegations, and prosecutors would have to prove them in court.
Authorities have not publicly identified a motive or given a detailed account of what they believe happened before the shooting. The sheriff’s office has also not provided a full explanation of the circumstances surrounding Lemmon’s injuries. A probable cause account cited by local news reports says deputies were initially responding to a 911 hang-up call before dispatchers reconnected with a woman at the residence.
According to reporting based on the probable cause document, Lemmon allegedly made a statement to deputies indicating that she had shot her children. That statement and other allegations contained in investigative records have not yet been tested in court. Investigators have said that evidence recovered at the home corroborated their belief that Lemmon was responsible, but authorities have not publicly released a full inventory of that evidence.
The older son, Christopher Scott Pitre, was identified by authorities as a Waxahachie resident. The sheriff’s office did not initially release the name of his 15-year-old brother. Subsequent local reporting identified the teenager through his family as Brian Pitre. His father, Scott Pitre, told NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth that the family had recently celebrated Brian’s 15th birthday at a lake just days before the shooting.
The boys’ father had been notified of both deaths, the sheriff’s office said. Ellis County Sheriff Brad Norman expressed sympathy to him and other relatives following the shootings. “My deepest sympathies go out to the victims’ father, family members, and loved ones involved in this tragic incident,” Norman said in a statement released by the department.
Early reports said Lemmon was awaiting arraignment and that bond had not yet been set. More recent reporting citing custody records said her bond was later set at $2.5 million and that she remained held at the Wayne McCollum Detention Center. No additional charges had been publicly announced in the latest reports reviewed.
Capital murder is among the most serious criminal charges under Texas law, but the filing of a charge does not establish guilt. Public reports reviewed through the weekend did not identify a trial date or disclose whether Lemmon had entered a plea. The available reports also did not identify an attorney speaking on her behalf.
The Ellis County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation remains active. Authorities have not announced a motive, and no major upcoming court proceeding had been publicly confirmed in the latest available reporting. Lemmon remains accused, not convicted, as the criminal case moves forward.
Author note: Last updated October 4, 2026.