Texas Man On Probation Arrested For Brutal Murder Of Wife And Daughter

A 45-year-old Texas man on probation stands accused of brutally murdering his wife and 11-year-old daughter. The bodies of the victims were discovered in the garage of their abandoned rural home after an extensive search by law enforcement agencies. 

Law enforcement officials arrested Robert A. Morairity, 45, after he admitted killing his wife Kimberly Kellam, 42, and her 11 year-old daughter. https://t.co/lihKO2lVFz

— CBS News Texas (@CBSNewsTexas) June 15, 2023

The suspect, identified as Robert Morairity, went into hiding for several months before being apprehended at a Dallas hotel, where he was living with his two other children.

The murders came to light after Kimberly Kellam’s brother-in-law contacted the Wise County Sheriff’s Office to report that he had not heard from her or her oldest daughter in months. Authorities immediately initiated an investigation and learned that the daughter had not been enrolled in school since 2022, raising further concerns.

The search for the missing mother and daughter led investigators to Morairity, who was eventually located with his other children at a Dallas hotel.

The suspect initially claimed ignorance regarding their whereabouts. However, under mounting pressure, he eventually confessed to the unimaginable crime, disclosing that the bodies of his wife and daughter were concealed in the family’s garage.

Following his confession, Morairity led authorities to the location where he had concealed the bodies, allowing for their recovery. He was subsequently arrested and now faces charges of murder, capital murder of a minor, and tampering with a corpse Currently, he is being held at Wise County jail on a bond of $800,000.

Adding to the gravity of the situation, it was discovered that Morairity had been on probation for a prior criminal offense. In 2019, he pleaded guilty to two counts of abandoning or endangering a child with criminal negligence. Shockingly, his probation ended just a few months before the murders took place.

Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin expressed his disappointment that the authorities were not alerted to the situation earlier, pointing out that those close to the family had been afraid to come forward due to their fear of the suspect. 

“I wish they would’ve called us earlier, but they neglected to do that. They were all scared to death of this guy. They were afraid to say anything,” Akin said, speaking to WFAA.

While law enforcement is confident that Morairity is responsible for the heinous act, the exact motive and method of the killings remain unknown.