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Travis Ray Hester

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Marion man confesses to killing his 11-month-old daughter, says investigator

By DAN KEGLEY/Staff

A Marion man confessed that he killed his 11-month-old daughter, according to police.
Marion Police Department Investigator Lt. Darrell Hayden said Monday that Travis Ray Hester, 26, changed his story during questioning and admitted his involvement in the death of Belle LeAnn Hester.
She died Sunday, July 27, at Roanoke Memorial Hospital, the day after she was airlifted from Smyth County Community Hospital’s emergency room.
The man faces a first-degree murder charge “because of his statements,” Hayden said. “[Prosecutors] don’t really want us to say how he killed the child. He confessed. He was interviewed, confessed, and charged. They didn’t want us to tell what all he did.”
Police charged Hester Friday said Marion Police Investigator Andrew Moss.
“It was an extremely tragic incident all the way around. I don’t know what to tell you,” Moss said. “All I can say is that it was an incident in which the father was in care of the child and obviously, um, he made a bad decision.”
Hayden said Hester, his wife, Crystal, and their daughter lived with Travis Hester’s father on Hill Street in Marion. They had lived there three days when the incident happened, the lieutenant said.
Travis Hester “had lost his job,” and “their only income was her waitressing job,” Hayden said. The family left their Coyner Avenue residence and moved in with Larry Hester, according to Hayden.
On Saturday, July 26, Crystal Hayden worked her job at Macado’s from 4 to 9:50 p.m., Hayden said. She and her husband talked by telephone during the evening, but Travis Hester made no mention of the child being hurt, he said.
Larry Hester left for work at 7:30 p.m. Hayden said.
“So we know the child was not hurt before 7:30,” the lieutenant said.
When Crystal Hayden arrived home around 10 p.m., they took their daughter to the emergency room at Smyth County Community Hospital, Hayden said.
The child had head injuries Hayden described only as “pretty extensive.”
“That’s how the investigation began,” Hayden said. “The medical examiner said the injuries didn’t occur as the father said they did,” in a fall by the child from a deck onto the lawn, he continued.
“The deck is five feet off the ground,” Hayden said. “That did not match the injuries, five feet onto grass. That’s the story he told police to begin with,” a story he changed under questioning, Hayden said.
Hester was held without bond at the regional jail in Abingdon.
Smyth County Commonwealth’s Attorney Roy Evans said Monday video arraignment was expected to be held Tuesday, a common procedure when subjects are incarcerated in the regional jail that avoids transportation logistics and maintains security for the accused, especially in emotionally charged cases.
“Due process is still afforded, provided by everyone being present and visible by electronic means,” Evans said.
The case was transferred from Smyth County’s General District Court to its Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Monday afternoon.
“A magistrate put it in the wrong court,” Evans said.
Evans said Hester should have an attorney by Tuesday.
The prosecutor said he had not determined what penalty he would pursue.
“It’s still relatively early,” said Evans, who had not received the autopsy report and had only telephone information from the examiner. Evans said he also planned further talks with the police officers who investigated the incident before planning his prosecution.
The child was buried in Slemp Cemetery, Sugar Grove, following a funeral service Thursday afternoon at Valley View Baptist Church in Sugar Grove.
In addition to her father, mother and grandfather in Marion, she is survived by grandparents Danny and Tammy Miller of Sugar Grove, Gary and Lisa Quillen of Atkins, and Deborah Hester of Abingdon; her great-grandparents, Jerry and Betty Jones of Rich Valley, Paul and Mary Quillen of Marion, Ivalee Miller of Marion, and Charles Anderson of Abingdon; uncles and aunts, Adam Miller and wife, Brittney, of Sugar Grove, Jeremy Miller of Sugar Grove, Steven Quillen of Marion and Nathan Quillen of Atkins, Angela Simerly and husband, Greg, of Elizabethton, Tenn., Jessica Sexton of Atkins, Tracy Stallard and husband, Michael, of Marion, Jessica Quillen of Rural Retreat, and Shannon Tate and husband, John, of Marion.