Meriel Bemis

Case record: Meriel Bemis

Background

Meriel Bemis was a 21-year-old mother in DeKalb County, Georgia. She lived with her 3-year-old daughter, Lela Bemis, in the Landmark at Mountain View apartments in Stone Mountain.

Her boyfriend, Troy Walker, fought with Bemis on Feb. 23 and ultimately left the Stone Mountain apartment where Bemis and her daughter lived. A later account stated that Bemis and Walker argued and that Walker left the apartment.

The offence

Meriel Bemis was accused of murdering her 3-year-old daughter, Lela Bemis.

According to prosecutors, Bemis notified Walker that she had killed her child after Walker left the apartment. Walker later came back to the Landmark at Mountain View apartments to find Lela Bemis dead. Walker called 911 and attempted to administer CPR. Lela was pronounced dead at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston.

An autopsy report stated that Lela had been suffocated.

Police and court testimony included a description that Bemis took the 3-year-old out of bed, took her to the bathroom floor, and smothered her with a pillow. Another account stated that Bemis admitted she used a pillow to suffocate Lela.

Bemis pleaded guilty to murdering her 3-year-old daughter.

Investigation

Prosecutors said text messages from another woman may have led to the child’s murder. Prosecutors said Walker told Bemis he was leaving her after an argument over text messages he received from another woman.

Prosecutors said Bemis repeatedly called her boyfriend but he refused to pick up the phone. When he did, prosecutors said Bemis had already killed her daughter.

Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Dalia Racine said during the hearing before DeKalb Superior Court Judge Gregory Adams:

“When he does (pick up the phone), he hears this defendant screaming on the other line, "I killed her,"”

Racine also said that Bemis told police she took the 3-year-old out of bed, “takes her to the bathroom floor and smothers her with a pillow.” Racine also said that Bemis made an attempt to kill herself.

Judge Gregory Adams asked some of the parents to remove children from the courtroom because the testimony was so graphic.

Arrest and custody

Meriel Bemis was arrested early Monday morning after her boyfriend called 911 Sunday night when he found the girl dead in Bemis’ apartment. Court records indicated she was booked into the county jail just before 6:30 am Monday. Police arrested Bemis, charged her with murder, and booked her into the county jail just before 6:30 am Monday. No bail had been set in one account.

Bemis waived her first court appearance.

Trial

Bemis entered a not guilty plea initially. Her defense attorney said his client was adopted and felt unwanted and was always looking for love. At an earlier point, it was stated she entered a not guilty plea and Adams refused to grant bond and set the trial for Sept. 22.

At the hearing before Judge Gregory Adams, prosecutors presented testimony including the account of suffocating the child with a pillow. The testimony led the judge to ask parents to remove children from the courtroom.

Meriel Bemis pleaded guilty, and the case proceeded to sentencing.

Sentencing

Meriel Bemis was sentenced to life in prison on September 11, 2014.

Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Dalia Racine said during the sentencing hearing before DeKalb Superior Court Judge Gregory Adams:

“As a mother, I could not begin to understand how and why (Bemis) would take the life of her innocent child in such a vicious way,”
“This sentence will never bring Lela back, however, there is justice in the fact that Meriel has assumed some level of responsibility and will serve a life sentence for her malicious acts.”

Outcome

Meriel Bemis was sentenced to life in prison on September 11, 2014 after her guilty plea to murdering her 3-year-old daughter, Lela Bemis.

Other details

In one account, Bemis was described as having a March 20 court appearance scheduled, and she would remain locked up at least until then.

One report stated that her boyfriend did not face any charges over her daughter’s death.

Monica Kasson said:

“That’s sad. That’s terrible. I don… that's not a reason to kill your child,”

Another quote from Monica Kasson stated:

“That just sounds to me like somebody who has completely lost it. They're just like... my life... what does it mean,?”

Robert Atkins commented:

“That's sad that that's what she would do as a result of her boyfriend breaking up with her,”

Another shopper said:

“There's definitely some type of mental case or something going on,”

A Stone Mountain shopper also said:

“That just seems like something wouldn't just pop up out of somebody out of nowhere to kill your own child because of your love for someone else,”

A courtroom and reporting account described Bemis’ Facebook page containing pictures of Bemis and her boyfriend in loving embrace or making funny faces, with comments that they appeared in love. It also described pictures of Bemis with Lela and described outwardly appearing to be a “picture of a perfect mother.”

Details about a March 20 court appearance and a Sept. 22 trial date appeared in different accounts, and Bemis ultimately pleaded guilty before the September 11, 2014 sentencing.