Natchitoches Parish District Attorney Billy Joe Harrington announced today that 10th Judicial District Court Judge Desiree Dyess has ruled on the parole eligibility of convicted murderer Jason Pilcher. Judge Dyess denied Pilcher’s application, ensuring he will continue to serve two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole for the August 1993 murders of Phyllis and Justin Albritton.
Pilcher was originally convicted of two counts of second-degree murder following a two-week jury trial in 1994, which was prosecuted by then-District Attorney Mike Henry.
During a hearing held earlier in this year in January, Special Prosecutor Clifford R. Strider, III of the Natchitoches Parish District Attorney’s Office presented extensive evidence, including expert testimony, legal arguments, and powerful testimony from the surviving victim and family of the crimes. The prosecution also introduced testimony of Pilcher’s prison disciplinary records, which revealed a continuing pattern of misconduct and drug use during his incarceration— arguing that further demonstrated his ongoing threat to public safety and lack of rehabilitation.
After thorough deliberation, Judge Dyess concluded that the crimes and the circumstances surrounding them warranted the continuation of the original sentences without the possibility of parole eligibility.
Ruling from the bench, Judge Dyess stated she “was hard-pressed to find a worse crime this parish has ever seen.”
In the ruling, Judge Dyess noted Pilcher was “totally without remorse and a danger to organized society” and is “irreparably corrupt.” She also noted his “inhumane coldness” during victim testimony at the January hearing. Judge Dyess further found he was a “lifelong persistent offender” as evidenced by his continuing misconduct while incarcerated.
The details of the 1993 murders have left an indelible mark on the Natchitoches Parish community for over three decades. Pilcher, armed with a stolen .38 caliber revolver, approached the Albritton family home in Robeline under the pretense of needing assistance after crashing a stolen vehicle. The Albrittons extended their kindness, providing a phone and ice water on a sweltering August day. Without warning or provocation, Pilcher shot Phyllis Albritton at point-blank range in her doorway. He then pursued 11-year-old Justin Albritton, who attempted to protect his family with a pellet gun, and fatally shot Justin. Pilcher subsequently fired upon 13-year-old Amanda Albritton as she fearfully fled across a pasture to seek help and escape the killer.
“A more senseless crime can hardly be imagined,” said Special Prosecutor Strider. “The Albrittons offered nothing but compassion to a stranger in need, and that kindness was met with unimaginable violence. The totality of the evidence presented at the hearing leaves no doubt—this was a calculated, remorseless act. The sentence imposed remains entirely fitting and necessary to protect the public and to honor the gravity of these heinous crimes.”
Natchitoches Parish District Attorney Billy Joe Harrington reflected on the enduring pursuit of justice for the Albritton family.
“For 31 years, this family has borne the weight of this tragedy, repeatedly reliving the nightmare through numerous court proceedings and legislative battles to uphold the lawful sentence imposed by a jury in 1994,” Harrington stated. “Today’s ruling reaffirms our unwavering commitment to justice and the rule of law. It ensures that the victims of this unspeakable crime are not forgotten and that their loved ones can find some measure of peace knowing the sentence stands.”
The case has withstood numerous legal challenges, including appeals to both the Court of Appeal and the Louisiana Supreme Court. In each instance, the courts upheld the life sentences, finding them neither excessive nor unconstitutional, particularly given the heinous and unprovoked nature of the crime.
The ruling today is because of the significant changes in juvenile sentencing law following two landmark decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court. In Miller v. Alabama (2012), the Court held that mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole for juvenile offenders violate the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.
Following Miller, the Court extended its ruling in Montgomery v. Louisiana (2016), declaring that Miller applies retroactively. This opened the door for individuals like Pilcher—who was 15 years old at the time of the Albritton murders—to seek new hearings to determine whether their life sentences should allow the possibility of parole. As a result, Pilcher was granted a resentencing hearing under these standards to assess whether parole eligibility was warranted based on his age at the time of the offense and other mitigating factors.
However, after reviewing the full scope of evidence—including the horrific nature of the crimes, the lasting trauma inflicted on the surviving family, and Pilcher’s conduct and behavior while incarcerated—the District Court determined that parole is not appropriate and that his life sentences without parole should stand.
“Today’s ruling upholds the original sentence. For more than three decades, the Albrittons have been forced to endure the painful reopening of wounds through countless legal proceedings and legislative efforts in order to safeguard the justice that was rightfully secured in 1994. Today, that justice remains intact,” said District Attorney Harrington.