PLANO, TX — Robert Lee Timmons Jr., 34, was sentenced to 50 years in prison following his conviction for the savage beating and strangulation of his mother, Rene Timmons, the Collin County District Attorney’s Office announced.
On May 16, 2024, Plano Police were dispatched to Rene Timmons’ home after she failed to appear at work. A coworker had requested a welfare check. Officers arrived to find her wrapped in a blanket inside her residence, showing signs of a violent assault and no signs of life.
Simultaneously, Richardson Police were investigating a report of a man unlawfully entering an apartment. The suspect, identified as Robert Timmons, told officers, “I just killed my mother.” Richardson officers promptly alerted Plano authorities, who confirmed the homicide. Timmons was arrested at the scene.
Confession and Investigative Findings
Plano Detective Bryan Patten interviewed Timmons shortly thereafter. During the interrogation, Timmons admitted to using a metal pipe and a piece of wood to beat his mother, then strangling her. With startling candor, he said, “I know I am an evil person and it looks like I don’t regret what I did, but I’m too high to cry.” Investigators found evidence of regular methamphetamine use.
Further investigation revealed that the day prior, Timmons had accused his mother of assault, but later admitted to inflicting those injuries himself— injuries visible in his booking photo. At the time, Timmons lived with his mother, who had expressed concern over his escalating violence, drug dependency, erratic actions, and refusal to get a job.
Timmons' criminal history included multiple assaultive incidents, including Assault Family Violence Impeding Breath involving his sister in Dallas County, and Assault Bodily Injury against a male roommate in Collin County.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Timmons stood trial for murder, with Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Ann Mathew and Jamin Daly leading the prosecution, supported by District Attorney Investigator Jennifer Gomez.
Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis denounced the killing:
“This was a horrific act of violence against the very person who gave him life. This case is also a grim reminder of how meth can fuel violence and destroy families. I’m grateful to our prosecutors and to the Plano and Richardson police for holding this dangerous man accountable and protecting our community from him ever again.”
On August 18, 2025, Judge [Name] of the 196th Judicial District Court formally sentenced Timmons to 50 years in prison, ensuring he will never again pose a threat to society.
Prosecutors
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Lead Prosecutors: Ann Mathew, Jamin Daly
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Investigator: Jennifer Gomez
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Law Enforcement: Plano and Richardson Police Departments
