Killer siblings had troubled past

Posted 9:22AM on Wednesday 17th April 2002 ( 23 years ago )

LEWISVILLE, TEXAS - The brother and sister accused of killing their 6-year-old sibling have been in trouble before, allegedly starting a fire at an elementary school four years ago. The siblings, now ages 15 and 10, confessed to setting the fire at Shorehaven Elementary School on Nov. 25, 1998, according to authorities. An arson report by the Garland Fire Department's juvenile fire-setter program recommended psychotherapy for the girl. On Tuesday the two children allegedly admitted they killed their 6-year-old brother Jackson. He was stabbed in the neck and suffocated, the coroner said in ruling the death a homicide. The siblings were taken into custody early Tuesday and detained on murder charges, Lewisville police investigator Eddie Barrett said. They were to appear Wednesday at a detention hearing. Merrill Balanciere, a spokeswoman for the fire department, said no charges were filed against the two in the arson case. School was out the day the fire was set, and damage was light - between $400 and $600, authorities said. Jackson's body was found in a shallow grave about 100 yards behind the family's Lewisville home. His sister led police to the grave after authorities and neighbors spent hours searching for the boy. Police declined to comment on a motive, but said important evidence was found in the family's home. The parents, Michael and Rita Carr, are not suspects, Sgt. Richard Douglas said. ``The sister confessed to killing her brother during an interview,'' Douglas said. ``In an interview with the 10-year-old, he confessed to holding him down during the process of murder.'' Child Protective Services investigated allegations of abuse two months ago and had examined three other complaints since 1998, said Marleigh Meisner, a CPS spokeswoman. No charges were filed and no action was taken against the family on those cases, she told The Dallas Morning News.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/4/202449