A 15-year-old boy in Texas was arrested this week and accused of killing his 62-year-old neighbor by stabbing her numerous times in her backyard. Dana Magnuson was found dead inside her blood-soaked garden shed after being attacked earlier this month, according to authorities.
The 15-year-old neighbor accused of carrying out the fatal attack has not been identified due to his age. However, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez acknowledged that authorities had charged the youngster with murder in connection with Magnuson’s death and that the juvenile was being held at the Harris County Juvenile Detention Center.
According to the sheriff’s office, about 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 20, 2024, deputies responded to a 911 call at the Magnuson family home in the 20800 block of Sunshine Meadow Drive, approximately 40 miles northwest of Houston. When first responders arrived at the scene, they discovered the body of an adult female — later identified as Magnuson — who looked to have been stabbed numerous times. Medics pronounced her dead on the scene.
Before law enforcement came, the offender fled on foot. “Our condolences are extended to the victim’s family and all those affected by this tragic death,” Sheriff Gonzalez wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “Excellent work once again by our Homicide Investigators, who worked tirelessly on this case.”
Gonzalez further mentioned Magnuson’s status as “an active community member” who was “beloved by everyone who knew her.”
Magnuson’s body was discovered in the rear shed, but detectives suspect the youngster attacked while the older woman was in the hot tub, according to Houston ABC station KTRK. A struggle is thought to have ensued, with Magnuson dying in the shed.
According to multiple sources, once the adolescent was arrested, he was questioned by cops and stated that he simply wanted to experience the sensation of stabbing another person.
The minor defendant’s attorney, Jon Stephenson, told the channel that the family is awaiting the proof against the youngster.
“We only have preliminary reports, and a petition has yet to be filed by the State,” he claimed. “We are looking forward to seeing what proof they have. He’s a decent child from a good family, and we’re trying to understand out what occurred.
Tyler Pitney, Magnuson’s son, spoke with Houston Fox affiliate KRIV about his mother and her alleged killer.
Pitney explained that the teen was a neighbor who knew his mother and frequently assisted her with yard maintenance and other activities.
“Nothing out of the ordinary, regular looking kid, looks like he comes from a decent home,” Pitney said of the juvenile defendant.
Pitney also gave a slightly different account of events than the authorities had previously claimed. He told the broadcaster that his mother had returned home from a bike trip and was gardening when she was attacked. He further said that after the incident, his mother’s body was dragged inside the shed.
Pitney described a gruesome scene.
“There was still blood everywhere – all over here, including the doors. To be honest, I don’t think it has fully hit me yet,” he told the station. “She was the most wonderful person, the nicest, sweetest spirit anyone had ever met. This guy removed a true angel from the planet.”
Pitney said his family hoped the juvenile would be charged as an adult. Prosecutors have yet to determine whether to pursue the certification process necessary to charge adolescents as adults in Texas.