Jessie Dotson, the killer of the infamous Lester Street murders in Memphis, was given an April 7 court date Wednesday morning.
Dotson, 33, faces six counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder.
Among those killed was Dotson's brother, Cecil, 30. Also killed were Hollis Seals, 33, Shindri Roberson, 25, and Marissa Rene Williams, 26, the mother of four of Cecil Dotson's children. Police identified the dead children as Cemario Dotson, 4, and Cecil Dotson II, 2, both sons of Cecil Dotson.
The four adults were shot multiple times, while the children were beaten and stabbed to death. Their bodies were discovered March 3 at 722 Lester Street.
Three other children, including a baby, survived knife wounds and were taken to Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center. The three survivors, ages ranging from 9 to two months, were all the children of Cecil Dotson. They each suffered gruesome injuries as Dotson cut their fingertips off.
Jessie Dotson got into an argument with his brother Cecil and fatally shot him. He then killed the other five victims to cover up his initial murder. The bodies were not discovered by police for more than 30 hours.
Prior to Dotson's confession to the murders, Memphis police placed an $81,000 reward for the killer, the highest reward in city history. Neighbors were also fearful for their lives and the lives of the surviving children as they thought the killer was still on the lookout for them.
Jessie Dotson pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 1994 and spent 14 years in prison. He was released from prison in January.
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