{{Short description|Familicide in Waller, Texas}} {{Infobox civilian attack | image = Harris County Texas incorporated and unincorporated areas Waller highlighted.svg | caption = Map of Waller County, Texas | title = Sesler family murders | location = Waller, Texas, U.S. | date = {{start date and age|2012|3|20}} | time = 1:00 p.m. | timezone = CDT | target = Family members | type = {{hlist|Familicide||mass murder|fratricide|matricide|patricide}} | weapons = * Shotgun * Glock semi-automatic handgun * Hi-Point Model 995 carbine rifle (unused) * AR-15–style rifle * .22-caliber rifle<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.crimemagazine.com/mr-anime-loves-god-and-his-family|title=Mr. Anime Loves God and His Family|website=crimemagazine.com|access-date=March 3, 2016}}</ref> | fatalities = 3 | injuries = | victims = Rhonda Wyse Sesler<br />Mark Alan Sesler<br />Lawton Ray Sesler Jr. | perpetrator = Trey Eric Sesler | verdict = Pled guilty to all charges | convictions = Capital murder (3 counts) | charges = | motive = * Plans to perpetrate a school shooting<ref name="Medium11" /> * Desire for infamy and to outdo historical mass murders<ref name="KHOUunthinkable" /><ref name="chronpolice" /><ref name="chron animals" /> | sentence = }}
On March 20, 2012, '''Trey Eric Sesler''',<ref name="Vocal Media1">{{cite news |last1=Mullen |first1=Shauna |title=The Youtuber Who Killed His Family. |url=https://vocal.media/criminal/the-youtuber-who-killed-his-family |access-date=2 February 2024 |agency=Vocal Media |publisher=Vocal Media |date=2022}}</ref> a 22-year-old former YouTuber, shot and killed his parents and older brother in Waller, Texas. He had planned to perpetrate a school shooting at Waller High School after murdering his family.<ref name="sanantonio1" /><ref name="CHRONnotguilty" /> Police were called to the family home at 1 p.m. the same day and found the bodies of his mother Rhonda Sesler, his father Lawton Sesler and his brother Mark Sesler.<ref name="chron1pm">{{cite news |last1=Carroll |first1=Susan |title=Conflicting pictures of Waller killings suspect emerge |url=https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/conflicting-pictures-of-waller-killings-suspect-3432744.php |access-date=28 January 2024 |agency=CHRON |date=24 March 2012}}</ref><ref name="MyDeathSpace1" /> Investigators say that Sesler was heavily inspired by the Columbine High School massacre.<ref name="chronpolice" />
==Perpetrator== left|thumb|214x214px|Sesler's 2012 mugshot '''Trey Eric Sesler''' (born August 3, 1989) is a former YouTuber who went by the alias "Mr. Anime."<ref name="Medium11">{{cite news |last1=Historian |first1=The True |title=Gun-Obsessed Texan Boy Gunned Down His Family Before Initiating a Mass Shooting |url=https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/gun-obsessed-texan-boy-gunned-down-his-family-before-initiating-a-mass-shooting-4cdc3fe1354a#:~:text=Trey%20Sesler%20Lived%20with%20His,until%20he%20got%20a%20job |access-date=1 February 2024 |agency=Medium |publisher=Medium |date=21 December 2021}}</ref> Sesler told investigators that he heavily studied mass murderers and serial killers and had a desire of perpetrating a school shooting at Waller High School.<ref name="morbidology44">{{cite web |last1=Thompson |first1=Emily G. |title=Mr. Anime & The Massacre of the Seslers |url=https://morbidology.com/mr-anime-the-massacre-of-the-seslers/ |website=Morbidology |date=24 November 2022 |access-date=1 February 2024}}</ref>
Sesler admitted to investigators that he committed other crimes prior to the shooting, including killing animals and shooting near schools in the middle of the night.<ref name="chron animals">{{cite news |last1=Wise |first1=Lindsay |last2=Christian |first2=Carol |title=Shooting suspect studied serial killers, massacres, officers say |url=https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/shooting-suspect-studied-serial-killers-3427179.php |access-date=3 February 2024 |agency=CHRON |date=22 March 2012}}</ref> He had no criminal record prior to the shooting.<ref name="TDCJ" /><ref name="yourconroenews1">{{cite news |date=3 August 2012 |title=Waller man gets life for killing 3 in his family |url=https://www.yourconroenews.com/neighborhood/moco/news/article/Waller-man-gets-life-for-killing-3-in-his-family-9264509.php |access-date=3 February 2024 |publisher=yourconroenews |agency=yourconroenews}}</ref> Investigators called Sesler "a classic example of a killer who starts with small crimes and builds up to the unthinkable."<ref name="KHOUunthinkable">{{cite news |author=KHOU Staff|title=Investigators: Waller man accused of killing family studied serial killers, graded their work |url=https://www.khou.com/article/news/investigators-waller-man-accused-of-killing-family-studied-serial-killers-graded-their-work/285-320744775 |access-date=4 February 2024 |publisher=KHOU |date=30 October 2013}}</ref>
===YouTube channel=== On September 14, 2006, Sesler created the channel "LensCapProductions."<ref name="Vocal Media1" /><ref name="sesleryoutube1">{{cite news |last1=Mercedes |first1=J.E. |title=Trey Sesler AKA Mr. Anime Kills Entire Family |url=https://medium.com/obscure-horror/trey-sesler-aka-mr-anime-kills-entire-family-e32bd2cf06fe |access-date=1 February 2024 |agency=Medium |publisher=Medium |date=21 April 2023}}</ref> Sesler's first few years on YouTube consisted of anime series reviews and skits.<ref name="sesleryoutube1" /><ref name="sanantonio1">{{cite news |last1=Wiseand |first1=Lindsay |last2=Hassan |first2=Anita |title=Police: Man held in Waller killings had massacre plan |url=https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/texas/article/police-man-held-in-waller-killings-had-massacre-3425659.php |access-date=2 February 2024 |agency=mysanantonio |publisher=mysanantonio |date=21 March 2012}}</ref> On December 27, 2011, Sesler posted a video telling his fans that he had been diagnosed with pneumothorax. Sesler would regularly show weapons in his YouTube videos.<ref name="morbidology44" /><ref name="sesleryoutube1" /> One month before the shooting, Sesler posted a video titled "Mr. Anime is planning something." In the video, he said he would be taking a "two or three-week break." He never disclosed what he was planning, however, investigators believe he was hinting towards the shooting.<ref name="morbidology44" /><ref name="texasmonthly1">{{cite news |last1=Hall |first1=Michael |title="Mr. Anime is Planning Something" |url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/mr-anime-is-planning-something/ |access-date=2 February 2024 |agency=Texas Monthly |publisher=Texas Monthly |date=21 January 2013}}</ref>
===Murder obsession=== According to authorities, Sesler (and many alleged others) was heavily inspired by mass murder events such as the Columbine High School massacre and the Virginia Tech shooting, investigators found a research paper on his laptop about the most notorious killers like Ted Bundy, David Berkowitz, Aileen Wuornos, Jerry Brudos, Jeffrey Dahmer, Charles Whitman, and Kip Kinkel where he graded them on killing methods and what kind of weapons they use.<ref name="KHOUunthinkable" /><ref name="chronpolice">{{cite news |last1=Wise |first1=Lindsay |last2=Hassan |first2=Anita |title=Police: Man charged in Waller deaths planned Columbine-like attack |url=https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/police-man-charged-in-waller-deaths-planned-3421875.php |access-date=2 February 2024 |agency=Chron |publisher=Chron |date=21 March 2012}}</ref><ref name="chron animals" />
==Shooting== ===Familicide=== On Monday, March 19, 2012, a report was made about gunshots coming from the family home; however, nothing was discovered by police when they arrived.<ref name="MyDeathSpace1">{{cite news |title=Trey Sesler (22) shot and killed three members of his family |url=http://mydeathspace.com/article/2012/03/22/Trey_Sesler_(22)_shot_and_killed_three_members_of_his_family |access-date=3 February 2024 |publisher=MyDeathSpace |date=22 March 2012}}</ref><ref name="CHRONnotguilty" /><ref name="chron1pm" />
At some point before 1 p.m. the following day, Rhonda Sesler took Trey to the garage to show him a dent in her car that was made recently by an unrelated party, and Trey instantly took this opportunity to shoot her at point blank range with a .22 rifle four times. His father is believed to have been asleep at this time. He then walked back inside the home and shot his brother, who initially survived being shot and locked himself in the bathroom, only for Sesler to break down the door and execute his wounded brother with a pistol.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roy |first=Samadrita |date=2024-06-24 |title=5 key details of the Sesler family murders, explored |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/shows/5-key-details-sesler-family-murders-explored |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250616230331/https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/shows/5-key-details-sesler-family-murders-explored |archive-date=June 16, 2025 |access-date=2025-06-16 |website=www.sportskeeda.com |language=en-us}}</ref>
At this point his father was awoken by the gunshots and was then shot twice.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Student |first1=Anonymous |title=Unveiling Darkness: The Trey Sesler Story |url=https://www.studocu.com/row/document/obafemi-awolowo-university/true-crime-script-report/unveiling-darkness-the-trey-sesler-story/77401084 |website=studocu.com |access-date=29 January 2024}}</ref> Sesler then moved through the family home armed with an AR-15-style rifle, firing at his mother at least twice. He proceeded to the bathroom and shot his brother once in the head, then delivered a final shot to his father.<ref>https://www.crimemagazine.com/mr-anime-loves-god-and-his-family</ref> After the shootings, Sesler wrote things such as: "I love my mom, dad and brother" and "God forgive me because I cannot forgive myself” all over the family home. He then proceeded to wreck the family home and kill every family pet.<ref>{{cite news |title=Authorities: Man admits he shot and killed three of his family members in Waller County |url=https://abc7.com/archive/8590927/ |access-date=29 January 2024 |work=ABC 7 |date=23 March 2012}}</ref><ref name="morbidology44" /> Waller police chief Phil Rehak described the crime scene as a "war zone".<ref name="Click2Houston1" />
===Arrest=== Sesler loaded his 2010 black Ford Mustang with a Hi-Point model 995 carbine rifle and over 100 rounds of ammunition. He drove to Waller High School, from which Sesler had graduated, and sat in the parking lot contemplating on following through with his plan. He ultimately decided not to proceed, and instead drove to a friend's home, where he also slept that evening. Police received a call from family members asking for a welfare check, as they hadn't heard from anyone in the house. Police went to the home at 1 p.m. and the bodies of Sesler's family were discovered and an arrest warrant was issued for him.<ref name="morbidology44" /><ref name="Chron1">{{cite news |last1=Glenn |first1=Mike |last2=George |first2=Cindy |title=Son arrested in slayings of 3 in family |url=https://www.chron.com/news/article/son-arrested-in-slayings-of-3-in-family-3422574.php |access-date=29 January 2024 |agency=CHRON |date=21 March 2012}}</ref> Sesler was located and arrested at the friend's house in Magnolia, Texas at 9:30 p.m. the same day.<ref name="KHOUunthinkable" /><ref name="Houston1">{{cite news |last1=Bauer |first1=Jennifer |title=Man suspected of killing family captured |url=https://www.click2houston.com/news/2012/03/21/man-suspected-of-killing-family-captured/ |access-date=29 January 2024 |agency=Click2Houston |publisher=Click2Houston |date=21 March 2012}}</ref><ref name="crimemagazine">{{cite web |last1=Garrett |first1=Jeannette |title=Mr. Anime Loves God and His Family |url=https://www.crimemagazine.com/mr-anime-loves-god-and-his-family |website=Crime Magazine |publisher=Jeannette garrett |access-date=3 February 2024}}</ref>
After the shooting, Sesler told investigators that he killed his family because they were the "first immediate human targets in [his] sight", disputing the media's claim that the reason for killing his family was to spare them the shame of his planned school shooting as inaccurate. Sesler backed out of the school shooting portion of his plan because it all became "too real".<ref name="IBS1">{{cite news |last1=Gosh |first1=Ishan |title=YouTube Star Left Trails of Clues Online Before Killing His Family and Attempting School Shooting |url=https://www.ibtimes.sg/youtube-star-left-trails-clues-online-before-killing-his-family-attempting-school-shooting-52619 |access-date=2 February 2024 |agency=International Business Times |work=International Business Times |date=18 October 2020}}</ref> He was placed on suicide watch within days of his arrest.<ref name="khousuicidewatch">{{cite news |author=KHOU Staff|title=Psychologist weighs in on what went wrong with Waller triple-murder suspect |url=https://www.khou.com/article/news/psychologist-weighs-in-on-what-went-wrong-with-waller-triple-murder-suspect/285-339789044 |access-date=3 February 2024 |publisher=KHOU |date=23 March 2012}}</ref>
===Victims=== The three people murdered consisted of his mother, father and older brother: * Rhonda Wyse Sesler, 57, mother of Sesler, first to be killed<ref name="CHRONnotguilty" /> * Mark Alan Sesler, 26, older brother of Sesler, second to be killed<ref name="CHRONnotguilty" /> * Lawton Ray Sesler Jr, 58, father of Sesler, last to be killed<ref name="CHRONnotguilty">{{cite news |last1=Wise |first1=Lindsay |title=Son expected to plead not guilty in Waller family deaths |url=https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/son-expected-to-plead-not-guilty-in-waller-family-3447871.php |access-date=3 February 2024 |agency=CHRON |publisher=CHRON |date=30 March 2012}}</ref>
Rhonda and Lawton were married for 34 years prior to the shooting. Rhonda worked at ''The Waller Times'' and Lawton was a teacher at Robison Elementary School.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 3, 2012 |title=Waller man who killed his family sentenced to life in prison without parole |url=https://www.khou.com/article/news/waller-man-who-killed-his-family-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-without-parole/285-339670448 |access-date=May 14, 2024 |work=KHOU11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Dean |first=Stephen |date=March 21, 2012 |title=Mass-shooting plot revealed in Waller family's murders |url=https://www.click2houston.com/news/2012/03/21/mass-shooting-plot-revealed-in-waller-familys-murders/ |access-date=May 14, 2024 |work=Click 2 Houston}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=March 21, 2012 |title=Police arrest 22-year-old accused of killing family members in Waller |url=https://abc13.com/archive/8588546/ |url-status= |access-date=May 14, 2024 |work=ABC13}}</ref>
After the shooting, Sesler contacted extended family members and apologized for his actions.<ref name="kvue12">{{cite news |author=Kvue Staff|title=Waller police: Triple-murder suspect apologized for killing family |url=https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas-news/waller-police-triple-murder-suspect-apologized-for-killing-family/269-343674712 |access-date=3 February 2024 |agency=KVUE |date=23 March 2012}}</ref> His cousin, Robin Warner, said the family did not know about his online activities. Waller residents were deeply disturbed by the case.<ref name="kvue12" />
==Sentencing== Sesler was arrested and charged with three counts of capital murder shortly after the family shooting.<ref name="TDCJ" /><ref name="Click2Houston1">{{cite news |title=Man pleads guilty to killing family |url=https://www.click2houston.com/news/2012/08/03/man-pleads-guilty-to-killing-family/ |access-date=3 February 2024 |work=Click2Houston |date=3 August 2012}}</ref> On August 2, 2012, Sesler plead guilty to all charges and was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, the right to which he reportedly told the judge to take away because he feared he was a danger to himself and those around him.<ref name="Beaumont Enterprise">{{cite news |date=3 August 2012 |title=Hempstead man gets life for deaths of parents, brother |url=https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/hempstead-man-gets-life-for-deaths-of-parents-3760953.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203110800/https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/hempstead-man-gets-life-for-deaths-of-parents-3760953.php |archive-date=3 February 2024 |access-date=3 February 2024 |publisher=Beaumont Enterprise |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref name="TDCJ" /> The Waller police chief described the courtroom as "somber" and did not hear Sesler speak during sentencing.<ref name="ABC712">{{cite news |title=Waller man accused of killing his family pleads guilty |url=https://abc7chicago.com/archive/8759844/ |access-date=3 February 2024 |work=ABC7 Chicago |date=3 August 2012}}</ref><ref name="yourconroenews1" />
Many residents of Waller suspected Sesler would receive the death penalty and were disappointed in the sentence handed down.<ref name="ABC712" />
As of 2024, Sesler is serving his sentence in the Terrell Unit in unincorporated Brazoria County, Texas.<ref name="TDCJ">{{cite web |title=Inmate Information Details SESLER,TREY ERIC |url=https://inmate.tdcj.texas.gov/InmateSearch/viewDetail.action?sid=50028655 |website=Texas Department of Criminal Justice |access-date=3 February 2024}}</ref> Previously, he was located in the McConnell Unit, located in unincorporated Bee County, Texas.<ref>{{cite web |title=Trey Eric Sesler |url=https://www.texastribune.org/library/data/texas-prisons/ |website=Texas Tribune |access-date=3 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181015080303/https://www.texastribune.org/library/data/texas-prisons/inmates/trey-eric-sesler/820597/ |archive-date=15 October 2018}}</ref>
==See also== * Columbine effect * Broken Arrow killings * Browning family murders * Prosper family murders * Familicide
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Authority Control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Waller killings, 2012}} Category:Familicides in the United States Category:2012 murders in the United States Category:Deaths by firearm in Texas Category:2012 in Texas Category:Mass murders in Texas Category:2010s crimes in Texas Category:Columbine High School massacre copycat crimes Category:March 2012 crimes in the United States Category:Fratricides Category:Matricides Category:Patricides Category:2012 mass murders Category:People murdered in Texas Category:2010s mass murders in the United States