Court Denies Tylerite’s Death Row Appeal

AUSTIN — A Tyler man convicted of murdering a 2-year-old in 2008 had his death row appeal denied Wednesday morning. According to KETK, a Texas Court of Criminal Appeals document shows the court reviewed five allegations made in Demontrell Lamar Miller’s application and recommended his appeal be denied without an evidentiary hearing. The 28-year-old was sentenced to death in November 2009 for the June 2008 murder of his then-girlfriend’s two-year-old son, Kelynn.

According to police, Miller beat Ceola Pinson’s toddler to death while he was babysitting him and his own 5-month-old son at an apartment complex in Tyler. An autopsy revealed the child had bruises and internal bleeding from blunt force trauma to the abdomen. Miller told police he found the toddler in the swimming pool. Police reported Pinson told Miller to call 911, but he did not. The defendant was found guilty and sentenced in the 241st District Court of Judge Jack Skeen. Miller’s 2012 appeal was also denied by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. No execution date has been set at this time.