Julia Andrews

Case record: Julia Andrews

Status / outcome

Julia Andrews was sentenced to 44 years in prison on August 8, 2013.

A jury of six women and three men sentenced Julia Andrews, 59, of Vidor, to 44 years in prison for the murder of 42-year-old Randy Peddy, of Vidor. She could have received up to 99 years in prison for the first degree felony charge. Andrews had to serve 22 years before she was first eligible for parole. Andrews stared straight ahead as the sentence was read but wiped tears from her eyes.

A juror later said Andrews’ self-defense claim was not even part of the equation when making their decision. When deciding the punishment they started at 50 years and deducted the number as they considered factors such as her health and age.

After a guilty verdict, Andrews took the stand and said, “I am so sorry,” and “I shot my best friend. I lost him too so I know what they are going through.” Jack Peddy shook his head side to side while looking at the ground as if unable to look at the woman who killed his son.

Andrews stated she was hoping for manslaughter charges and to get probation. She said, “I shot Randy and killed him, but I didn’t murder him,” on the stand.

Assistant District Attorney Cory Kneeland asked Andrews about some of her statements in jail during her visits with family and friends on a recorded line. One of which she stated, “if Peddy was on fire, she would not extinguish the flames.” Andrews stated she did not recall saying it.

Jack Peddy declined to make a victim impact statement, but did say on the stand that his son was an alcoholic and due to his state of mind on the day of the murder, he tried to keep his son at his house. He also said how much he missed his son.

People

• Julia Andrews, 59, of Vidor
• Randy Peddy, 42, of Vidor
• Jack Peddy, father of Randy Peddy
• Jackie Uzell, daughter of Andrews
• Kailee Hunt, 21, lived at the residence
• Deputy Greg Harbison, Orange County Sheriff’s Office
• Texas Ranger Bobby Smith
• Orange County Assistant District Attorney Cory Kneeland
• Judge Buddie Hahn
• Deputy / investigator Paul Arceneaux, Orange County Sheriff’s Office
• Pathologist Dr. Robert Lyons (also referred to as Dr. Robert Lyon in testimony)
• Defense counsel Greg Dumas
• Sandra Moore-Turner, witness
• Justice of the Peace Judge Price
• Sgt. Chad Hogan, Public Information Officer
• Acadian Ambulance
• Vidor Fire Department

Timeline

• November 2012 — Randy Peddy died after an incident at the 1400 block of Terry Road in Vidor involving Julia Andrews.
• February (year not specified) — Andrews told Sandra Moore-Turner on a recorded line that she would make a good witness and should mention that they feared for their lives.
• Wednesday (August 7, 2013) — The trial of Julia Andrews began on Monday in the 260th District Court with Judge Buddie Hahn presiding; the punishment phase began Wednesday afternoon after a guilty verdict.
• August 8, 2013 — Andrews was sentenced to 44 years in prison.

Background

The events leading up to Randy Peddy’s death began when he went to Andrews’ house in November 2012 on the premise of repairing her muffler on her car. Andrews discovered he was drinking vodka when a bottle fell out of his pocket. From experience, she said she knew that was not a good thing and took him to his father’s house. Peddy returned later in the day still intoxicated.

At first he was visiting with other family members. Later, he approached Andrews when he wanted to talk about his relationship with her daughter. Andrews told him no.

When the pair were together, they were said to be very openly affectionate. On Andrews’ birthday in July, instead of attending her party he went to the beach with her daughter Jackie Uzell. They soon began dating and he ended the relationship with Andrews. Kailee Hunt, 21, testified, “Her feelings were hurt,” during testimony.

When Uzell called the residence, Andrews told her Peddy was there. Uzell, concerned about her mother, called for police to go check on her mother at the residence at the 1400 block of Terry Road.

The offence

Randy Peddy became angry and the situation began to escalate after police were called. About an hour later, Peddy went outside and began hitting Andrews’ vehicle with the foundation blocks.

Andrews attempted to stop him but in her statement told officers he pushed and hit her. She also stated Peddy had never hit her before. Andrews said she repeatedly told him to stop destroying her vehicle.

Andrews went into her house and retrieved a .22 rifle which had been kept loaded behind her bedroom door and went back out onto the porch.

“When I went to get the gun, I wasn’t going to shoot him. I just wanted to scare him,” Andrews said. “All I wanted was for him to just leave.”

When Peddy saw the rifle, he dared her to shoot him. Andrews stated Peddy began coming towards her and she just “started shooting.” Andrews fired three shots.

Witnesses testified the shots were only seconds apart. However, Andrews in her taped statement said she first fired a “warning shot.”

The first shell casing was found near the front door. The other closer to the railing of the porch. The third shell casing was found a few months later on the porch.

“I was just trying to get him to quit destroying my car,” Andrews said. “I didn’t mean to kill him. I loved him,” Andrews said in the recorded statement. “But, I didn’t love his ways.”

Pathologist Dr. Robert Lyons testified that Peddy was shot in the heart by a single bullet which also penetrated his spine. Peddy’s blood alcohol level was 0.261 and he had a small amount of diazepam, a muscle relaxant, in his system.

Orange County Assistant District Attorney Cory Kneeland used a tape measure to show jurors how far Andrews was from Peddy when she shot him. Peddy was about 35 feet away from the side of the porch when the gun was fired.

Investigation and arrest

Deputy Greg Harbison testified that he was called out at 8:40 p.m. in November 2012 to the 1400 block of Terry Road in Vidor. When he arrived he was told by Andrews that Peddy was intoxicated and he was about to lay down. Harbison stated he returned to the residence about 9:40 p.m. on a disturbance call where he found Peddy deceased laying by the driveway in a fetal position.

Harbison testified Andrews told him, “Everything was OK.” Harbison also testified, “She told me she had shot him.” He added that Andrews repeatedly told him, “she was sorry.”

Texas Ranger Bobby Smith testified that after Andrews was transported to the OCSO, Smith met with her and took a videotaped statement. At first, Andrews sobbed while she gave the statement. Then she gained her composure as she told of the events which unfolded over the course of the day.

A recorded 9-1-1 call was played in court. Kailee Hunt testified that she had called 9-1-1 when the incident began before Andrews got the gun. Hunt said she pleaded with the dispatcher to send help: “Please hurry, please!”

In court testimony, it was said that after Andrews entered the house and put the gun back behind her door in her bedroom, investigator Paul Arceneaux testified there were five live rounds remaining in the gun when it was found. Andrews staggered to the chair in the living room and sat down. She began to sob and said she had shot Peddy, according to court testimony.

Sgt. Chad Hogan Public Information Officer issued an immediate release stating that on Wednesday, November 28, 2012, around 9:45 p.m., the Orange County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a disturbance at residence in the 1400 block of Terry Road in Vidor. While the caller was speaking to the Dispatcher, the caller stated that gunshots could be heard outside the residence.

The release states that once deputies arrived on scene, they located a white male lying lifeless in the yard of the residence. Emergency medical personnel with Acadian Ambulance and the Vidor Fire Department arrived on scene and determined the male subject was deceased. The Orange County Homicide Investigation Team was notified and was dispatched to the scene.

The release stated there were several witnesses at the residence, including the actor, and that all were brought in for questioning to determine what occurred. The names of the witnesses and actor were not being released at that time.

The deceased male was identified as Randy Peddy w/m, age 42 (DOB: 12-08-69). Justice of the Peace Judge Price arrived on scene and ordered an autopsy. The deceased victim was transported to the Jefferson County Morgue. The investigation into the cause of death was ongoing and further information would be released as it became available.

The release states that Orange County Sheriff’s Office investigators were being assisted by the Cities of Vidor, Orange, Bridge City and West Orange Police Departments, as well as the Texas Rangers.

The release also stated: “UPDATE: JULIA RHOTON ANDREWS, W/F, Age 58 (DOB 07/21/1954) was brought to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office where she was interviewed by investigators concerning this incident.” It says Andrews advised that she and Randy Peddy had gotten into a verbal and physical altercation and she confessed to shooting and killing Randy Peddy. It states: “JULIA ANDREWS was arrested for Murder and booked into the Orange County Correctional Facility.” It further states: “Bond has been set at $250,000.”

Trial

The trial began on Monday in the 260th District Court with Judge Buddie Hahn presiding.

Deputy Greg Harbison was the first to testify. He stated he was called out at 8:40 p.m. in November 2012 and later returned about 9:40 p.m. and found Peddy deceased by the driveway.

State exhibits were entered into evidence including pictures showing redness on Andrews’ face, neck, and shoulder. A photo of Andrews’ arm showed abrasions. It was testified that a mug shot taken a few hours later did not show the red marks.

Orange County Assistant District Attorney Cory Kneeland asked jurors to consider how far Andrews was from Peddy when she shot him using a tape measure.

Kailee Hunt testified she was at the residence when the incident occurred and that she called 9-1-1 before Andrews got the gun. Hunt pleaded, “Please hurry, please!” A recorded call was played in court.

Hunt testified she was afraid Peddy would get up and attack her. She heard emergency personnel coming and did not check on Peddy further. Hunt said Peddy had a tire iron in his hand when he was fighting with Andrews, but no tire iron was found at the scene by investigators.

The state and the defense attorney, Greg Dumas, rested Tuesday afternoon. Dumas called one witness to the stand. Sandra Moore-Turner testified that she never saw Peddy “lay a finger” on anybody in the house.

During a visit to the Orange County Jail in February, on a recorded line, Andrews told Turner that she would make a good witness and should mention how they feared for their lives.

Closing arguments were set to begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday, followed by deliberations by a jury of six women and three men.

During sentencing-related proceedings, it was stated that Andrews’ self-defense claim was not part of the equation for the jury.

Sentencing

The punishment phase began Wednesday afternoon. Jurors decided Andrews’ fate Thursday.

Andrews faced up to 99 years or life in prison for the first degree felony. When deciding the punishment, jurors started at 50 years and deducted based on factors such as her health and age.

Andrews said tearfully, “I am so sorry,” and “I shot my best friend. I lost him too so I know what they are going through.”

She testified, “I shot Randy and killed him, but I didn’t murder him.”

The sentencing remarks included recorded-jail statements raised by Assistant District Attorney Cory Kneeland, including her statement: “if Peddy was on fire, she would not extinguish the flames.” Andrews stated she did not recall saying it.

Andrews was sentenced on August 8, 2013 to 44 years in prison and would be first eligible for parole after 22 years.

Other details

The trial testimony described the vehicle involved as Andrews’ 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier. It was testified that foundation blocks shattered the front, rear, and driver’s side windows.

A statement attributed to Andrews during the taped statement included that she fired a “warning shot.”

Orange County Assistant District Attorney Cory Kneeland used a tape measure to show jurors the distance, and it was stated Peddy was about 35 feet away from the side of the porch when the gun was fired.

It was also stated that Andrews was already on felony probation from a charge in Hardin County.

Andrews stated she had given someone money to purchase a prohibited substance which was going to be given to an inmate in jail that resulted in the charges.