Burleson, Texas – The sentencing proceedings commenced for Jerry Don Elders, who was found guilty of capital murder for the killing of 61-year-old Robin Waddell during a manhunt in 2021. Elders faces the possibility of receiving either the death penalty or life in prison without parole as the jury deliberates on his sentence.

Elders was apprehended in Gainesville, Texas, on April 14, 2021, following a series of violent events that included the shooting of Burleson police officer Joshua Lott and the subsequent kidnapping and murder of Robin Waddell.

Prosecution witness Timothy Ryan Fitzpatrick, director of classification and records at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, shed light on the contrasting conditions Elders could face in prison. Inmates serving life without parole are integrated into the general prison population, while death row inmates live in strict isolation, under constant supervision by prison guards.

The jury also listened to recorded jail calls where Elders requested financial assistance from associates, offering a glimpse into his interactions during his incarceration. Additionally, Waddell’s children provided emotional testimonies, sharing their profound loss and the impact of their mother’s tragic death.

One of Waddell’s children, Phillip, described his mother as a compassionate individual who adored her family and cherished her role as a grandmother. He expressed the lasting pain and guilt of living in close proximity to his mother but being unable to prevent her untimely death.

As the sentencing phase proceeds, the defense will present their case and call witnesses to testify in an effort to influence the jury’s decision. The trial continues to unravel the layers of tragedy and loss that have marked the lives of those involved, as the community grapples with the aftermath of these heinous crimes.