Left: Marissa Grimes (Lucas Funerals and Cremations). Right: Valerian Osteen (Tarrant County Corrections Center).
A Texas man found guilty of murdering a woman who was trying to escape from him was sentenced to death.
In a social media announcement released on Monday, the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office revealed that 28-year-old Valerian Osteen was sentenced to death for the murder of 26-year-old Marissa Grimes in 2022. Grimes, a mother of two, was last seen when she went to bid farewell to Osteen before relocating. The former partners had a record of domestic violence incidents, and the DA’s office stated that Osteen was enraged about wearing a GPS monitor due to Grimes contacting the police.
On February 12, 2022, Grimes had loaded a U-Haul for her move and went to Osteen’s residence for a final goodbye. That evening, a neighbor witnessed Osteen threaten her with a firearm. It was the last sighting of Grimes alive.
After Grimes’ disappearance was reported by her family, her U-Haul, filled with her possessions, was discovered deserted days after her visit to Osteen’s home. A search of Osteen’s residence led to the discovery of Grimes’ body “wrapped in blankets and a tarp in the crawl space.”
During the court proceedings, prosecutors presented evidence that Osteen “dug her a shallow grave and lived above her for 10 days.” Grimes’ body showed signs of bruising, several broken bones, injuries such as two black eyes and “multiple lacerations to her head.” Her hair was forcibly cut. The evidence suggested she was “beaten to death and tortured.”
Previously reported by Law&Crime, authorities shared that a month before Grimes was found, Osteen allegedly confined her in his house, armed and preventing her departure. Osteen faced charges of aggravated assault and unlawful restraint when law enforcement intervened. He was on bail when Grimes was murdered.
Subsequent to Grimes’ disappearance, another woman reported to the police that Osteen allegedly detained and assaulted her, threatening her with a firearm. She noted seeing blood in the house and claimed Osteen explained it was from another man he had tortured.
A jury decided that Osteen deserved the maximum penalty for his crime and sentenced him to death.
