by | Published
In the 175th District Court this week, Judge Catherine Torres-Stahl sentenced Tamera Laws to 20 years in prison for the murder of her grandmother, Doris Ruth Novella, following a bench trial in which Laws pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
The conviction stems from a 2020 homicide in which Laws strangled, stabbed, and struck Novella with a hammer during a physical altercation in the spring of that year. According to authorities, responding officers observed psychotic symptoms in Laws at the scene and during subsequent interrogation.
Despite her plea, Judge Torres-Stahl found Laws guilty of murder.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Ana Ochoa and Melissa Oliva, with assistance from Victim Advocate Cristina Lopez and Investigator Michelle Grabowski.
“This week’s sentence demonstrates how one split decision can lead to devastating consequences, and the act of taking a life cannot go unanswered,” said Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales. “We must ensure that all perpetrators are held to the highest standards of the law, reflecting our society’s dedication to justice.”
