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A Florida woman has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of her sister, whose body was found buried in their backyard.
Debra Patton, aged 72, displayed a smile and laughter on February 16 in a Hillsborough County courtroom as she received her life sentence. This decision, reported by Fox 13, concludes a prolonged legal battle.
“Justice is served,” stated the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office, 13th Judicial Circuit, in a release following the verdict. “Debra Patton will never be able to harm anyone again.”
Karen Pais Disappeared in May 2021 As Tensions With Sister Mounted
Patton’s arrest came in May 2021 after authorities from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office uncovered her sister Karen Pais’s body, which had been buried in the backyard of Pais’s home in Carrollwood.
The state attorney’s office revealed that Pais, who was a retired Verizon engineer, had generously let Patton reside in her home without paying rent for years, despite their estranged relationship.
Pais’ friends testified during Patton’s trial last month, per The Tampa Bay Times, that although Patton had initially seemed friendly and sociable, the siblings’ relationship deteriorated over time.
They told the court during the sentencing hearing that Pais had even begun to fear her sister, telling friend Jan Wilder, “She’s going to kill me.”
Cathy Wyncoop, another friend of Pais’, added, per Fox 13, “‘Karen told us—all of us—on many times, ‘If I end up missing or something happens to me, Debra did it.’”
The friends began to worry about Pais’ welfare in May 2021 after she stopped responding to their calls and texts. When they went to her home to check on her, they saw her car in the garage, but found no sign of Pais.
Her friends reported the disappearance to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office on May 30, according to a statement from the department.
Karen Pais’ Final Movements Captured on Surveillance Footage
Fortuitously, a sheriff’s deputy lived nearby the home and had a surveillance system. According to The Tampa Bay Times, that deputy was able to review the footage which showed Pais doing yard work the morning of May 24, 2021. Although she was seen going into her garage, she was never seen coming out.
The footage later showed Patton getting a shovel from the garage. During their investigation, authorities found a freshly dug patch of dirt in the backyard and discovered Pais’ body buried about two feet down, the outlet reported.
She had been killed by a gunshot wound to the chest.
Patton was arrested in 2021, but the case was initially delayed after she was found incompetent to stand trial. Her competency was restored and she went on trial in January, where she was convicted of second-degree murder.
Debra Patton Tells Court She is “Blameless”
At her sentencing hearing Feb. 16, Patton continued to proclaim her innocence.
“I do stand here blameless for this,” she said, according to the Tampa Bay Times. “I do intend to appeal the verdict. I do also forgive everything that I just heard in here that was a lie.”
Although Hillsborough Circuit Judge Robin Fuson had discretion in determining the sentence, he was unmoved by Patton’s remarks, instead calling her proof of “the evil that walks among us.”
“You say you stand here blameless. Nobody else agrees with you,” Fuson told her. “And I certainly don’t. The jury certainly [didn’t]. You will be judged someday. If you’re a God-fearing person, then you should fear God at this time.”
Patton appeared to smile and laugh and even interrupted Fuson during the proceedings, Fox 13 reported.
The judge continued, “When I watched the video and saw you just calmly take the shovel and walk back into the house to bury your sister’s body, it’s unfathomable.”
For Pais’ friends, the sentence provided some measure of justice.
“She took our friend’s life,” Joel Wynkoop told Fox 13. “It’s not like our friend comes back from heaven and can start their life over again. So, she shouldn’t get a second chance either.”