Nate Anderson was 15 years old when he murdered his sister, Amanda Anderson, at their home in New Chapel Hill, Texas, while their parents were away.
On the evening of Sept. 15, 2010, Nate called his parents, who were having dinner at a local restaurant, and told them that someone had broken into their home.
He also stated that his sister, Amanda, a student at Tyler Junior College, was shot in her bedroom, according to CBS News.
His parents immediately called 911, and a dispatcher called Nate, who was still at the residence alone, to find out what happened to Amanda.
Nate said when he became frustrated with his homework, he went for a jog in the woods near his home, which is something he’d often do. When he returned, he found the garage door kicked open.
Nate said he went inside the house and checked his room first, then went to check his sister’s room, but he didn’t go in.
As he stood in the doorway, he told the dispatcher that he saw his sister on the floor suffering several gunshot wounds to the head, and there was blood splattered across the room.
About two minutes into the conversation with the 911 operator, it was reported that Nate changed his story.
This time, Nate stated that he went inside his sister’s room, but he ran out after seeing her injured on the floor.
At around 7:20 p.m., New Chapel Hill police officers and emergency medical services arrived at the Anderson family home in the 10000 block of CR 2273 and found Amanda dead in her bedroom.
Her body was transported to the Southwest Institute of Forensic Science Laboratory in Dallas, Texas, for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
An arrest affidavit states that she was shot four times in the head at close range with a.22 Ruger Mark IV semi-auto pistol—once on the side, once in the front, and twice in the back.
Texas Ranger Brent Davis interviewed Nate at the Smith County Sheriff’s Office while in the presence of his father.
Nate gave his account of what happened to his sister, but this time he adhered to his initial story. He asserted that he didn’t go into his sister’s room.
He said as he stood by Amanda’s bedroom door, he was able to see her lying on the floor with blood emitting from her head.
Smith County Crime Scene Investigator Noel Martin collected the teen’s clothing for evidentiary purposes.
They were tested using a chemical called Blood Star, and when applied, it reacted with the blood on Nate’s shirt, pants, and shoes.
CBS 19 reported that the pattern of blood, which was described as a fine mist, was “consistent with high-velocity impact spatter.”
“High-velocity impact spatter can only result from the impact of a bullet or projectile discharged from a firearm into a blood source.”
An investigation revealed that Nate shot his sister in the head with the gun his father had given him. The gun was only supposed to be used for target shooting while his father was present.
About two months after Amanda’s murder, on Nov. 11, 2010, police arrested Nate at his school, Tyler Gospel Chapel (a Christian church), on charges of first-degree murder.
He was booked into the Smith County Juvenile Detention Center on a $1 million bond.
It was reported that family members were reluctant to believe that Nate shot and killed Amanda until he confessed to a psychologist, who was hired by the defense team, in 2011.
Nate then confessed to his parents that he killed Amanda.
Smith County Sheriff J.B. Smith told KYTX that “it was apparent to us it was a crime of hatred for this incident, because [there were] no signs of any other trauma.”
Nate has never revealed why he killed his sister.
In June 2011, Judge Floyd Getz announced that Nate would stand trial as an adult, the Longview News-Journal reported.
The case never made it to trial, as they reached a plea agreement that included Nate pleading guilty to killing Amanda. Doing so would waive his right to appeal.
Eight months later, in February 2012, Nate was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
He will be eligible for parole after 10 years.