2003-11-10

Eric Suess, 47, of Missouri, died Nov. 10 after being shot at a hotel on Coulter Road. On Nov. 21, Kissy Wyonna Stiger, 26, of Amarillo was charged with aggravated robbery in the case. An alleged male accomplice, who has not been charged in Suess' death, was in custody in Randall County on another charge.

On the night of November 9, 2003, Eric Seuss picked up Kissy Stiger, a prostitute, on Amarillo Boulevard and took her to his motel room at the Executive Inn in Amarillo where they engaged in sex. Seuss then drove Kissy back to the Inn of Amarillo. After using cocaine with one of her friends, Kissy went looking for another customer.

She encountered her friend Anthony Gilbreath, and they agreed to obtain more drugs after he retrieved his car. While waiting on Gilbreath, appellant, who was driving a loud, older twotoned Chevy pickup truck with a hood ornament of a bulldog, approached Kissy and asked where he could obtain cocaine. Kissy entered the truck, and the two proceeded to drive away. While doing so, they passed Gilbreath and stopped so he too could get in.

Around that time, Kissy noticed that appellant had a small gun that fit into the palm of his hand. Kissy, appellant, and Gilbreath drove around town making several purchases of cocaine. Thereafter, appellant asked if there was anyone they could “jack” or rob. Kissy told him of Seuss who she knew had a large amount of money. They then drove to the Executive Inn to accost him.

According to the record, appellant and Kissy climbed the stairs to Seuss’ room, at which point Kissy tried to persuade Seuss to open the door. Thereafter, appellant forced his way into the room and began to fight with Seuss. During the brawl, Kissy grabbed Seuss’ wallet, ran from the room, and left the area. Eventually, appellant attempted to flee as well. As he did, Seuss followed. At that point, a gunshot rang out, a .22 caliber bullet 2struck Seuss in the abdomen, and he fell down a set of stairs outside his room. Appellant then ran to his truck and left. The wound suffered by Seuss proved fatal.

One or more of the hotel guests heard an argument between several men and a woman shortly before the shooting. So too did one or more hear the shooting and see Kissy and a white man wearing a hood flee. The hooded man was also seen entering a two-toned Chevy pickup, which truck had a bulldog ornament on it much like that of appellant’s. And, while none of the bystanders testified that they saw a gun, appellant was known to own a .22 caliber handgun small enough to fit within the palm of his hand. Kissy and Gilbreath saw appellant with it shortly before the shooting while others saw appellant with it days earlier.