Mother's Final Visit to Abusive Ex Ends in Tragedy Under Texas Home
When 26-year-old Marissa Grimes, a mother of two, decided to visit her abusive ex-boyfriend Valerian "Will" O'Steen, 28, for one last time in February 2022, she intended it as a brief farewell before embarking on a new life free from his threats and violence. The pair had initially connected in a bar, but their relationship quickly revealed O'Steen's dark and dangerous nature.
A History of Abuse and a Failed Escape
Just weeks before this fateful visit, O'Steen had threatened to kill Marissa and forcibly confined her in his home. In a brave attempt to escape his torment, she managed to message her mother, who promptly alerted the police. This led to O'Steen's arrest on domestic violence charges, after which he was fitted with a GPS ankle monitor and ordered to stay away from Marissa.
Despite these legal protections, Marissa's decision to see O'Steen one final time proved catastrophic. On the night of her visit, they went together to a neighbor's home, where the neighbor witnessed O'Steen threatening Marissa with a gun, according to police statements. This was the last time she was seen alive.
A Gruesome Discovery and a Homicide Verdict
O'Steen's violence escalated horrifically, resulting in Marissa's death. After torturing and beating her to death, he concealed her body and continued living in his property as if nothing had happened. When Marissa's abandoned car was found near his home, police initiated a search. A SWAT officer, peering into the crawl space beneath the house, spotted a mound of earth and detected signs of decomposition.
Marissa's body was discovered wrapped in a blanket and tarpaulin, bearing multiple lacerations to her head, two black eyes, and a broken arm, ribs, and nose. Her hair had been cut short in some areas, adding to the brutality of the crime. A pathologist from the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office determined her death was a homicide caused by blunt force trauma to the head.
Trial, Conviction, and Death Penalty Sentence
During the trial at Fort Worth District Court, prosecutor Allenna Bangs stated, "There was one person with the motive, opportunity, and the desire to kill Marissa Grimes." O'Steen testified, denying the murder allegations, but on September 22, 2025, a jury convicted him of murder. Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells then pursued the death penalty, resulting in a death sentence from Judge Ryan Hill.
Following the verdict, Marissa's father, Daryl Grimes, addressed O'Steen in court, saying, "You had no right to take away my daughter's life. You had no right to take away the mother of those boys." O'Steen reportedly showed no visible reaction to the death sentence.
Context on Executions in Texas
Information from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice highlights that two death row inmates have been executed in the state this year, with five executions in both 2025 and 2024. The United States employs five execution methods: lethal injection, electrocution, lethal gas, hanging, and firing squad. Texas leads the nation in executions since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, with California, Florida, Texas, and Alabama having the largest death row populations.
