Jason Lee Belew Sentenced to LWOP in 2009 OK Rape/Murder of 11 Year-Old Dakota Hughes
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Texas Man Arrested In Death Of 11-Year-Old Girl
CARTWRIGHT, Okla. (October 19, 2009)—Jason Lee Belew, 34, of Grayson County has been arrested for first-degree murder in the death of an 11-year-old girl early Sunday in southern Oklahoma.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said Belew was arrested Sunday in the death of Dakota Hughes in Cartwright.
Belew was booked into the Grayson County jail.
He has not been formally charged.
OSBI spokeswoman Jessica Brown said the girl was found dead about 4 a.m. Sunday at her aunt's house, but Brown did not say how the girl died.
Hughes' father, Bill Hughes, said Dakota had been watching movies with Belew Saturday night.
Her aunt awoke to find the girl dead and the man gone.
Cartwright is on the Red River southwest of Durant in Bryan County.
http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/64753587.html
District Attorney’s Office seeks the death penalty for Belew
DURANT —The District Attorney’s Office is seeking the death penalty for a man accused of raping and murdering an 11-year-old girl.
Jason Lee Belew, 35, Sherman, Texas, was charged in October 2009 with first-degree murder for the death of Dakota Hughes of Cartwright.
A formal arraignment for Belew was held Tuesday, and District Attorney Emily Redman filed a bill of particulars, which is a request seeking the death penalty.
A bill of particulars gives details on why the death penalty is being requested and contains graphic details of the aggravating circumstances of the crime.
Redman said that because of that, Belew’s defense attorney, Gary Henry, requested that the file be sealed.
“The defense asked that it be placed under seal because our bill was very detailed and the defense was concerned that if all of the details of the aggravating circumstances were in the media, that it might taint potential jurors who might serve in the trial at some point,” Redman said. “So he asked that it be filed under seal to prevent the defense from having to fight for a change of venue.”
The court ordered the document sealed until further notice.
Belew was arrested and charged following an investigation by the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
Authorities were dispatched to the 375 Dogwood Lane home in Cartwright after the victim’s 17-year-old sister dialed 911 at 4:58 that morning and said that her sister was dead, and there was blood everywhere, according to a dispatch log.
The victim had been staying with her aunt, Debbie Hughes, who lived next door to the girl’s father, according to the sheriff’s office.
An affidavit by OSBI Agent David Houston states that she found her niece’s body at approximately 4 a.m. that morning. Debbie Hughes said that Belew was an acquaintance, and that after picking him up in Sherman and bringing him back to her home, they consumed beer and malt liquor that evening.
Hughes said she passed out and when she woke up, she found Dakota’s body, according to the affidavit.
Investigators learned that Belew was at a home in Sherman and he was arrested early the following afternoon. The affidavit states he was in possession of Debbie’s cell phone and that he had what appeared to be blood stains on his clothing.
Bryan County Sheriff’s Investigator John Bates interviewed Michael Belew, the suspect’s father, who said his son called him at 2:26 that morning and said he was at Debbie’s residence, according the affidavit.
Michael Belew said his son called back less than 40 minutes later and said he was in trouble and that he thought he killed someone, the affidavit states.
According to Bates, Belew used Debbie’s cell phone to call someone for a ride back to Sherman.
Belew is being held without bail. His next court appearance is set for Aug. 15, and Redman said the case will most likely go to trial on the September jury term.
http://www.durantdemocrat.com/view/f...home_news_lead