Ashley Schaeffer, a 35-year-old White woman from Diboll, Texas, was found dead in her home in the early morning hours of July 24, 2022. An investigation determined she had been killed by multiple gunshot wounds while she was asleep in her bed. Her sister later said Ashley’s 10-month-old child was in the bed with her at the time. Two other young children were also in the home but were unharmed.
The Angelina County Sheriff’s Office, along with Texas Rangers and the Department of Public Safety, investigated the homicide. Suspicion quickly fell on Ashley’s estranged husband, 38-year-old Victor Keith Lee. According to detectives, Lee had gunpowder residue on his hands, and his stories about the night of the murder did not add up.
Investigators soon arrested Lee, his mother Deidra Marie Lee, his cousin Breana Lee Green, and another man, Wade Finley, all on murder charges.
In February 2023, Deidra Marie Lee, 55, and Breana Lee Green, 30, both pleaded guilty to murder for their roles in the crime. Deidra, who had driven her son and Green to Ashley’s house, was sentenced to 28 years in prison. Green was sentenced to 20 years. Both women agreed to testify against their co-defendants. Another man present during the murder, Wade Finley, was later offered a plea deal for a 30-year sentence in exchange for his testimony against Victor Lee.
In February 2024, Victor Lee pleaded guilty to murder. During the punishment phase of his trial, jurors heard emotional testimony from Ashley’s mother, who said she had felt uneasy about Lee from the moment she met him. The prosecutor told the court that Lee had put seven bullets in his estranged wife’s head as she slept. Lee’s own mother, Deidra, testified against him, stating, “It’s hard as a parent to know that I gave birth to such a monster.”
After a short deliberation, the jury sentenced Victor Lee to life in prison and a $10,000 fine. After the sentencing, Ashley’s sister said she was happy to see her sister and best friend get the justice she deserved. The case was closed as of February 2024.
