Brian Joseph Pitre was an outgoing and caring 15-year-old boy who had just started his freshman year at Waxahachie High School. Born in Dallas, Texas, on September 27, 2011, Brian was known for bringing his unique personality and energy to everything he did. His father, Scott Pitre, remembered him as an extrovert who "loved everybody." Brian had a wide array of interests that showed his curiosity for life.
He was a fan of anime, especially "Dragon Ball Z," and enjoyed playing video games on multiple systems. He also liked horror movies, collecting action figures, and listening to alternative and rock music from bands like Limp Bizkit. Brian took pride in decorating his room to reflect his passions. He also enjoyed cooking, baking, working out, and playing sports. Family was deeply important to him, and he loved spending time with his uncle Max, helping him wax and care for his car.
The weekend before his death, Brian and his 21-year-old brother, Christopher Scott Pitre, spent a calm weekend at the lake with their father, talking about life. It was a celebration for Brian, who had just turned 15. Days later, in the pre-dawn hours of Thursday, October 1, 2026, that peace was shattered. At about 4:13 a.m., the Ellis County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call about an emergency at a home in the 900 block of Big Sky Drive in Waxahachie. The caller hung up, prompting a police response.
When deputies arrived at the residence, they found a horrific scene. Inside the home were Brian and Christopher, both suffering from gunshot wounds to the head. Christopher was pronounced dead at the scene. Brian was alive but in critical condition; he was rushed to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Their mother, 42-year-old Colleen Nichole Lemmon, was also found at the home, covered in blood with a gun beside her. She had non-life-threatening injuries, which appeared to be self-inflicted cuts on her wrists.
According to an arrest affidavit, when deputies encountered Lemmon, she told them, "I shot both of my kids." Investigators from the Ellis County Sheriff's Office stated that evidence gathered at the scene led them to identify Lemmon as the sole suspect in the shooting deaths of her two sons. She was taken to Baylor Scott & White hospital in Waxahachie for medical treatment before being taken into custody.
Following her release from the hospital, Colleen Lemmon was booked into the Wayne McCollum Detention Center. She was charged with two counts of capital murder for the deaths of Brian and Christopher. At the time of her booking, her bond was pending arraignment. The boys' father was notified of the tragedy. "My deepest sympathies go out to the victims' father, family members, and loved ones involved in this tragic incident," Ellis County Sheriff Brad Norman said in a statement. "They will remain in our prayers during this difficult time."
In the wake of the killings, the community was left shaken. A neighbor told reporters, "It's heartbreaking, and I'm praying for them." The boys' father, grappling with the incomprehensible loss, was left to plan their funerals instead of celebrating their lives. "I don't understand it," Scott Pitre said, adding that his main question for his sons' mother was simply, "Why?" He wanted the world to remember his children for who they were: "I want them to know that they were good boys." A graveside service for Brian was held on Friday, October 9, 2026, at Ferris Memorial Park North. The case against Colleen Lemmon is pending in the Ellis County courts as of October 2026.
