The Lester Street Murders
The Lester Street murders in 2008 were a tragedy that rocked the city of Memphis. Jesse Dotson, a man with a history of violence, got into a fight with his brother, which quickly escalated into a brutal killing spree. He proceeded to kill everyone in the house, including his brother, two nephews, a niece, and his sister-in-law. But there were three survivors, all children, who were able to provide crucial evidence to the police.
When questioned about the murders, the children all pointed the finger at “uncle Jesse,” making it clear who was responsible for the horrific crimes. Dotson was eventually convicted and sentenced to death for his six counts of first-degree murder. The motives behind the killings were never entirely clear. Some speculated that it was a drug deal gone wrong, while others believed it may have been a gang-related killing.