Texas man sentenced for fatally shooting his mother and father, a retired district court judge
04/01/2025 1:03 pm PDT
GEORGETOWN, Texas (TCN) -- A 47-year-old man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for killing his father, a former judge, and his mother last year.
The Williamson County District Attorney’s Office announced March 31 that Seth Carnes pleaded guilty to capital murder in connection with the deaths of his father, 74-year-old retired District Court Judge Alfred Carnes, and his mother, Susan Carnes. He received a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
According to prosecutors, on the night of Jan. 8, 2024, Williamson County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call made by the defendant’s 19-year-old daughter, who said her dad had shot her grandfather. Responding deputies found Alfred Carnes and his wife deceased with gunshot wounds. They recovered the weapon used to kill the victims.
The district attorney’s office said Seth Carnes lived in a converted garage next to his parents’ home and admitted to killing the victims at the scene. Authorities immediately took him into custody.
In an initial release, the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office said investigators believe the shooting "resulted from a disagreement, escalating into family violence and death."
According to prosecutors, Alfred Carnes presided as a district judge in Williamson County from 1989 to 2013.
In a statement, District Attorney Shawn Dick said, "Judge Carnes and his wife Susan were beloved members of the community where they lived and served. The loss of their lives in this manner devastated not only their family but many within the community who loved and respected them. While nothing can undo the profound loss suffered by the family of Judge and Mrs. Carnes, this outcome brings a measure of justice and finality to a deeply tragic situation. We hope this resolution can offer some small degree of peace to the family members as they continue to heal."
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