A Galveston jury deliberated less than five hours before convicting a 26-year-old man of capital murder in the beating death of a 2-year-old girl who was known for months only as "Baby Grace." Royce Clyde Zeigler II was found guilty of murder in the death of Riley Ann Sawyers.Riley's mother, Kimberly Trenor, was convicted of the same charge in February and was sentenced to life in prison.
The remains of Riley Sawyer were found in a plastic storage contained on the banks of Galveston Bay in October 2007. She was called "Baby Grace" by investigators trying to determine her identity. She was finally identified by her grandmother in Ohio, who saw a police sketch of the child.
During the trial, prosecutors told jurors that Riley died during a discipline session intended to teach her to say "please" and "thank you" to Zeigler. She was beaten with belts, had her head dunked in the bathtub and was thrown across a tile floor.
Dumped Into the Bay
After she died of skull fractures, Trenor and Zeigler stuffed her body in a plastic storage tub. They hid the container in a storage shed at their home of months before driving 75 miles to Galveston Bay to dump the container in the water.
It was found by a fisherman on the banks of a small island in the bay.
"The two people responsible for her murder have been convicted," Galveston County District Attorney Kurt Sistrunk said. "It's a good day for Riley."
See Also:
Stepfather Convicted in Death of 'Baby Grace'
Background:
The Baby Grace Case
Forum:
Discuss the Baby Grace Case
Photo: Mug Shot
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