On Friday, September 6, 2024, District Judge Evan Stubbs sentenced Kingsland resident Dennis Price to 40 years in prison for manslaughter in causing the death of his wife, Carrie Price. The sentence was pursuant to a plea agreement between the State and the Defense, which was agreed after Price’s trial began. The State was represented by District Attorney Sonny McAfee and Assistant District Attorney Camilla Cutbirth. Price was represented by local attorneys Steven Wittekiend and Richard Davis, and Austin attorney Jessica Huynh.
Price was charged with murder for the October 5, 2022 death of Carrie Price, and his trial began on August 26, 2024. The trial continued for more than a week, but was temporarily halted when the defendant was hospitalized following a bicycle crash on Labor Day. After three days of the defendant being absent from the trial, the State and Defense came to an agreement for a 40-year sentence on the charge of manslaughter, along with a finding that Price used a deadly weapon in committing the offense. The defendant also waived his right to appeal the conviction in the case.
At trial, the evidence revealed that Carrie and Dennis Price, who were going through a divorce, were in a disagreement about the placement of their 10-month-old child as a result of an investigation by the Child Protective Services (CPS), which had revealed domestic violence between the two. In the week before Carrie’s death, Price and Carrie’s families met with CPS to determine where the child would be placed until permanent custody could be decided. Following the CPS meetings, the Defendant told the victim he wanted to get back together and try to work things out, so Carrie went back to him that weekend. The two had an argument a few days later, which led to Carrie’s death and Price’s arrest.
Price later told a Texas Ranger and a lieutenant with the Llano County Sheriff’s Office that he “subdued” Carrie in order to control her, and that he put his arms around her neck from behind and “choked her out.” A surveillance camera mounted on a tree in front of Price’s house revealed that he had not been truthful in his statements to the law enforcement officers about the events that transpired before he strangled Carrie into unconsciousness. However, Price said he had “subdued” her that way numerous times in the past.
Llano County Deputies arrived on the scene and conducted CPR on Carrie until Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrived and took over lifesaving efforts. The EMS workers were able to regain a pulse, and Carrie was then transported by helicopter to a hospital in Williamson County, but later passed away. The medical examiner who conducted Carrie’s autopsy declared she died of strangulation.
District Attorney McAfee said of the case, “I appreciate the jurors paying very close attention to the horrible facts of this case. When speaking with the jurors after the trial was discontinued, as a result of the Defendant’s guilty plea, I believe our agreement was in line with the beliefs of the jurors. Our thanks go out to the Llano County Sheriff’s Office who tried so very hard to save Carrie’s life, and the Texas Ranger who assisted in obtaining the confession of the defendant in the case. Without their combined efforts, this case might not have been resolved as quickly as it was. Medical personnel that responded were incredibly determined, and worked valiantly to save Carrie’s life, but it was not to be.”
Dennis Price will not be eligible for parole until 2044, when he would be 65 years old.