1998-06-08

Firefighters discovered the body of Ronnie Dawn Hewitt, 37, in the bedroom of her burned apartment on June 8. It later was discovered by investigators that Hewitt had been strangled to death with a belt before the fire was set.

Less than two weeks later, Tony Roach confessed to the killing while being questioned in Guymon, Okla., on an unrelated crime. Roach was returned to Amarillo and indicted on capital murder charges Aug. 26.

On 06/08/98, in Amarillo, Texas, Roach fatally strangled a 29-year old white female after burglarizing her residence. Roach knocked on the victim's apartment door and when he did not receive an answer, he pried open a window and gained entry. Roach saw the victim sitting in the living room. Roach hid in the bathroom and when the victim walked down the hallway, he confronted her. The victim struggled with Roach. He placed a belt around her neck and strangled her. When the victim was dead, Roach sexually assaulted the body. Roach set fire to the residence prior to leaving.