Couple pleads guilty in 2009 murder

An Alexander County couple pleaded guilty on Wednesday to the murder of a Taylorsville woman. The couple was caught with the woman’s body in their car as they were driving across Virginia in 2009.

Jerry Dameron pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, in exchange for life in prison without parole. Lisa Damron pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, receiving a sentence of 12 years to 15 years and two months for her role in the murder.

Jerry and Lisa Damron were driving their Ford Windstar van on Interstate 77 in Wythe County, Virginia, on July 9, 2009, when they were pulled over at 8:30 a.m. for speeding. While pulled over the officer noticed that the driver, Lisa, smelled like alcohol. The officer looked at the passenger, Jerry, and saw that he, too, appeared to be under the influence. Both were arrested. It was as deputies were preparing the vehicle to be towed that they found evidence relating to a murder.

They saw a large red and brown stain on the backseat, and three guns in the vehicle. They then discovered a woman’s body in the van’s cargo area. She was later identified as 42-year-old Kelly Ross Lynette Culley of Taylorsville, mother to two teenagers.

Investigators said the murder happened in Taylorsville, at the Damrons’ house on Sixth Street, SW. According to a statement with a search warrant, Culley was at the Damrons’ house early in the day. Lisa told investigators Culley got into an argument with Jerry, so Lisa went outside. She then heard three or four gunshots. Jerry told her they needed to get rid of the body in West Virginia.

In court on Wednesday, Lisa’s attorney, Ken Darty, said all three were drinking and taking pills that night, calling it, “a recipe for disaster.”

Culley’s family was in court to hear the Damrons plead guilty Wednesday.

Yvonne Morgan, a close friend of the family, stood up in court to speak on behalf of them.

“The last two years, these kids have had nightmares,” she said. “They’ve had to go through Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, (one child’s) graduation. They need closure. I think it was an act of rage. They visited her gravesite, and that’s hard for these kids.”

Culley’s husband, Chuck, said he was angry. Jerry Damron was arrested in September 2008 in Caldwell County for a crash that killed one of his six children. Damron was charged with DWI and felony death by motor vehicle. He said if Jerry had either been denied bond or that case had gone to court sooner, this never would have happened.

Kelly’s eldest son, Chucky, said watching Lisa in court was painful.

“When I first saw Lisa and I saw the smirk on her face, it stabbed a little knife in my heart and it won’t come out,” he said. “This is what happened one night over an argument. It’s stupid. My mom was a good individual, and I will never be able to see my mom again. I will never hear her voice. She was supposed to be at my graduation, (see me) get my license, be at my birthdays and see my children, her grandchildren.”

Lisa and Jerry both still face charges in Virginia. The couple is charged with felony transporting a dead body with malicious intent to prevent detection of an unlawful act. Lisa, then 31, was also charged with DUI and reckless driving. Jerry, then 42, was charged with possession of a firearm after conviction of a felony, three charges of having a concealed weapon and one count of assault on a police officer, from an incident that occurred while he was being jailed.

They Wythe County commonwealth attorney’s office has not decided if it will still prosecute the Damrons, saying they were waiting to see the results of the Alexander County charges.

Lisa faces charges for the September 2008 wreck, as well. She was charged with six counts of child abuse, aid and abet impaired driving, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of schedule II and IV controlled substances.

Their children have been placed in foster care, according to Darty.