The Lester Street Murders

Lester Street

March 3th 2008

After an alarming call from a close relative, Memphis police department came to see a horrific crime scene that was quite a mystery. Four adults and two children deceased while three young children remain fighting for there lives in a Lester street home.

Police later identified 30 year-old Cecil Dotson who was shot 8 times, His Girlfriend 27 year old Marissa Williams who was shot 5 times, there two friends 33 year old Hollis Seals who was shot 3 times and his girlfriend 22 year old Shindri Roberson who was shot 4 times.

The back bedroom occupied Mr. Dotson children 4 year old Cemario and 2 year old Cecil ll who both suffered from many fatal stab wounds and severe head trauma.

5 year old Cedric and 2 month old Ceniyah suffered stab wounds while Cecil hides in the bathroom for more than forty hours with a stab wound in his skull . All three children spend a long time in critical condition recovering but they do survive.

The children's room and xray of the stab wound left in 5 year old cedric which he later survives from.

Now the question police is asking is who would viciously slaughter a family with children?

Due to the extreme of violence police began thinking it was an act of gang violence .

But as 9 years old Cecil recovers in the hospital he leads police to a surprising suspect.

Cecil Jr "cj" identified the suspect as Jessie Dotson or "Uncle Jessie".

He was the older brother of Cedric and the uncle to all five children. Why would uncle jessie do this?

Prior to this massacre, Jessie Dotson was released from jail for less than 7 months on a different murder charge.

It takes six days after the murder for Dotson to actually confess suggesting that the two brothers were arguing and Cedric reached for his shot gun and Jessie states he just began shooting.

When police wondered how did the kids get involved his mother told police when she asked him he stated that he didn't want any witness. Which explains the death and attempted murder of the other 3 adults and children.

After investigations police conducted that this incident could of stimulated from his little brother Cedric dating Jessie's romantic partner while he was incarcerated on his first murder charge. Jessie most likely reacted on his built anger and jealously of there romance.

His mother also talked with police about his child hood trauma. Jessie dropped out of school in the 4th grade because he would get bullied for having not the best clothes or being poor.

Sated by National institute of Child Health and Human Development bullying have a long term affect on children and impacts there emotional and mental development (NICHD, para 1)

Nov. 21, 1994: pleads guilty to second degree murder . gets 18 year sentence

Aug 27, 2007: released on parole

March 3, 2008: Dotson's brother, three other adults and two children are found shot and stabbed at 722 Lester st. Three children are critically injured

March 8, 2008: Jessie Dotson confessed

Oct. 11, 2010: is convicted of all counts and is sentence to six death sentences

Nov 8, 2010: Dotson receives an additional 120 year sentence