Naman Shrestha
In early August 2020, Dottie Lutes was found dead by the authorities, shocking her friends and family to the core. The investigation revealed some dark truths about the family, and the evidence found in her bedroom led the detectives right to the perpetrators responsible for the gruesome act. The episode titled ‘She Was All Darkness’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Evil Lives Here: The Killer Speaks’ chronicles the entire case in a detailed manner, thanks to the insightful interviews with Dottie’s loved ones and the officials directly or indirectly linked to the investigation.
Dottie Lutes Was Discovered in an Open Field Wrapped in a Carpet
Born on October 2, 1946, in Sikeston, Missouri, Dottie Sue Wyatt was the beloved daughter of Alive D. and Maggie Tillman Wyatt. Growing up, she not only had the love and care of her parents, but her siblings also showered her with affection and support every step of the way. Alongside Dottie, the Wyatt household was filled with the laughter and energy of her brothers, Billy D. Wyatt and Johnny Wyatt, as well as sisters, Judy Wyatt, Julie Wyatt, and Betty Saulsbery. Dottie spent the majority of her life in her hometown, where she had obtained her education, made long-lasting friendships, and created core memories with the people she valued with all her heart. When she was about 18 years old, she embarked on the journey of a lifetime with Carroll Lutes.
The two tied the knot on September 18, 1964, in the presence of their family and friends. Together, they built a loving family that comprises sons Allen Lutes and Jimmy Lutes. Over the years, the Lutes family expanded to welcome two granddaughters, Casey Hammon and Ashley Riggins, and seven great-grandchildren, Whitney Carrah, Hunter Hammon, Billy Hammon, Jr., Jeremiah Riggins, Elijah Riggins, and Alex Riggins. The 74-year-old grandmother was a reputable member of society. For two decades, she served heavenly sweetness to the people of her town and tourists alike while working at the local bakery, Houchin’s Donuts. Around 2020, she was working at Always First Home Care.
Unfortunately, the member of the Abundant Grace Church in Bertrand, Missouri, met her sudden demise on August 3, 2020. At first, she was reported missing, after which the authorities combed through her residence. While she could not be found anywhere, they found blood in her bedroom, a large bloody kitchen knife with a broken handle, a bloody screwdriver, a bloody buck knife, and drag marks with blood, indicating foul play. Moreover, her three grandchildren were also found inside the house while her vehicle was missing. Around 9:30 am on August 3, her remains were discovered wrapped in green outdoor carpet in a soybean field at the corner of Finney and Cleveland Streets. The autopsy revealed that Dottie succumbed to the multiple stab wounds on her body.
Dottie Lutes Was Sleeping in Her Room When the Killers Attacked Her
Since Dottie Lutes also shared her house with her granddaughter, Ashley Riggins, and her boyfriend, Rayshand Lyons, both of whom were not at the house, the detectives began searching for them, in hopes of finding answers. They learned that Ashley was in the Charleston area, where they not only found Dottie’s missing vehicle but also the couple. Ashley and Rayshand were brought in for questioning. While the former refused to speak with the officers, Rayshand told them that Ashley and Dottie did not see eye to eye. He claimed that he and his girlfriend had made a plan to assault her and steal money and a firearm from her in the early hours of August 3, 2020. As per Rayshand’s accounts, upon entering Dottie’s room, Ashley woke her up and struck her with a blade while he stabbed the 74-year-old woman with the buck knife.
A struggle allegedly broke out between the two women. According to him, while Dottie called for help, he knocked her to the floor, allowing Ashley to stab her repeatedly. He told the detectives that Ashley’s two sons woke up during the stabbing, after which she instructed them to help move Dottie’s remains out of the house. He claimed that they then rolled up her remains in the green outdoor carpet before driving down to the open field in Charleston to abandon them. Following the confession, both Ashley and Rayshand were charged with first-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action, first-degree robbery, abandonment of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and two counts of abuse or neglect of a child.
Ashley and Rayshand Are Serving Their Respective Sentences in Separate Missouri Prisons
Soon after their arrest, in November 2020, Rayshand Lyons attempted to escape from the Mississippi County Jail with a deadly weapon, but failed. On March 17, 2023, Rayshand Lyons pleaded guilty to the lesser second-degree charge in connection with Dottie Lutes’ murder. Thus, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder charge and an additional 20 years for the attempted escape charge. Both sentences were ordered to be run consecutively. The following months, Ashley Riggins stood trial for her involvement in the gruesome crime. The prosecution tried to convince the jury in its favor by presenting a series of incriminating evidence against the defendant.
In the end, the jury deliberated before reaching a final verdict. Finally, on April 20, 2023, Ashley was found guilty of first-degree murder, armed criminal action, abandonment of a corpse, tampering with evidence, and abuse or neglect of a child, in connection with the killing of her own grandmother. Less than five months later, on September 6, she was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder charge, 30 years for armed criminal action, 10 years each for two counts of abuse or neglect of a child, and seven years each for abandonment of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence. Currently, while Ashley Riggins is incarcerated at Chillicothe Correctional Center in Chillicothe, Missouri, Rayshand Lyons is serving his sentence at Southeast Correctional Center in Charleston, Missouri.
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