A woman pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 32 years in prison Monday in the 2012 stabbing death of a Texarkana, Texas, man.
Alana Coleman, 40, eluded authorities for eight years before being arrested in Mexico by U.S. Marshals in October 2020.
Coleman appeared with Texarkana attorney John Delk for a plea hearing Monday before 5th District Judge Bill Miller in Texarkana. Assistant District Attorney Katie Carter prosecuted the case.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Morris’ body was found by police Aug. 12, 2012, after a manager at the Redwood Apartments at 3400 W. 7th Street noticed a broken window with blood on it and blood on the front door of Morris’ apartment. A pair of broken scissors and a broken knife were collected from the bloody scene.
Neighbors of Morris’ reported seeing him the afternoon of his death. They also reported seeing a car Coleman was known to drive when she was at the complex working as a prostitute. A sample of DNA collected at the crime scene is a match to Coleman’s DNA and a camera with nude photos of Coleman was collected as evidence from the crime scene.
Coleman was recorded driving through a border checkpoint on the Texas/Mexico border Aug. 27, 2012.
Investigators were able to get a sample of Coleman’s DNA while she was in Mexico from clothing she left behind at a relative’s home in Bowie County.