San Antonio, Texas — A local woman was found guilty on Friday of brutally murdering her 70-year-old grandmother, using a hammer to commit the deed, according to court documents. Tamera Laws, 28, faced the judgment in a bench trial, having waived her right to a jury. The decision, handed down by Judge Catherine Torres-Stahl, now leaves the sentencing phase to be scheduled at a later date.
The violent incident, which resulted in the death of Doris Ruth Novella, occurred on Feb. 22, 2020. Prosecutors detailed how Laws beat her grandmother to death at their shared residence in the 8500 block of Spotted Deer Drive. The severity of the attack left Novella with numerous fatal wounds to her head and neck.
During the trial, defense attorney Anthony Cantrell highlighted Laws’ troubled mental health history. He pointed out that Laws had endured significant trauma, including a miscarriage in 2014 followed by the birth of a stillborn child, both of which exacerbated her mental condition. The defense argued that Laws was under severe mental duress and had been self-medicating with alcohol and methamphetamines.
Laws herself testified, claiming that she was compelled by her father’s command to kill her grandmother. She believed that non-compliance would result in her being dismembered and sent to her father in a box. This chilling testimony was part of the defense’s strategy to underscore her compromised mental state at the time of the killing.
Further complicating the defense’s narrative, Dr. Robert Cantu, a psychologist who evaluated Laws post-arrest, testified that she showed clear signs of psychosis, including hallucinations. He suggested that her mental health had been deteriorating well before the murder.
However, the prosecution, led by Anna Ochoa, challenged the insanity defense by noting that Laws had not exhibited signs of psychosis during multiple assessments by mental health professionals at the jail. Dr. Brian Skop, a forensic psychiatrist, was firm in his assessment that Laws was suffering from a stimulant-induced psychosis, a temporary condition brought on by substance abuse, rather than a persistent psychotic state.
The crime scene was described as chaotic by responding officers, with forensic evidence playing a critical role in the trial. A bottle of Pine-Sol cleaner, found in the room where Novella’s body was discovered and linked back to Laws by DNA analysis, testified to the frenzied efforts to obscure the crime.
The case, which captured local attention due to its grisly nature and the tragic familial connection, now moves toward a sentencing phase. Judge Torres-Stahl will decide Laws’ fate, with the possibility of probation still pending as indicated by court records. As the community reflects on the disturbing events, the legal outcomes will likely continue to spark discussions on mental health, substance abuse, and the justice system’s handling of such complex cases.