TEXARKANA, Texas -A woman who struck her boyfriend in the head with a brick was sentenced last week to a 20-year prison term for manslaughter.
Lamarya Rachelle Bradley, 55, pleaded guilty to manslaughter at a hearing before 102nd District Judge Jeff Addison and accepted a maximum 20-year term. Bradley was arrested March 1 by Texarkana, Texas, police in the death of Willis Hart Sanders, 62. Sanders was found dead in his apartment in the 2100 block of West 10th Street when his landlord went to investigate a foul odor.
Sanders' decomposing body was discovered face-up in a large puddle of blood, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Investigators noted a large gash on the back of Sanders' head before sending the body to the Dallas medical examiner's office for an autopsy. Crime scene investigators found a bloody brick inside of a light-colored pillowcase as well as bloody shirts in the apartment. Sanders' neighbors told police they'd last seen him Feb. 19 in the company of a woman they knew as "Margie."
They said her real name was Lamarya Bradley.
Bradley was found by a police officer that night and agreed to meet with Texarkana, Texas, detectives. Bradley said she met Sanders about nine or 10 days before his death and that they walked to EZ Pawn to get movies.
Bradley said the two consumed alcohol together at Sanders' apartment afterward.
Bradley claimed Sanders became upset and threw a glass whiskey bottle at the wall near her and would not allow her to leave the apartment. Bradley said Sanders choked her and that he was sitting on top of her on the floor when she reached for a brick she knew was under the bed.
Bradley reportedly told investigators that she pushed Sanders off after hitting him in the head with the brick. Sanders was no longer moving or talking after being struck with the brick, according to the affidavit.
"She advised that she put the brick in the pillowcase under the bed and also used a shirt to wipe up the blood on the victim," the affidavit states. "Bradley stated she also put another shirt under his neck to stop the bleeding."
Bradley left the apartment without calling for help.
"The District Attorney's Office cannot adequately express its condolences to the family of the victim, other than to attempt to seek justice for their loss," Bowie County District Attorney Jerry Rochelle said. "It was in the hopes of sparing the family the trauma of a trial and getting them closure, that my office entered into a plea whereby the defendant would serve the maximum allowable punishment for the offense of manslaughter. This family has been through far too much, and by accepting a plea, the case is effectively closed. The defendant was required to waive her right to appeal allowing the victim's family to forego years of post conviction procedures."