VANDERBURGH COUNTY, Ind. (Court TV) — Elizabeth Fox-Doerr was sentenced to 90 years in prison on charges of murder and conspiracy for the death of her husband, Robert Doerr, who prosecutors say was gunned down in his driveway by Fox-Doerr’s lover.
Fox-Doerr maintained her innocence at her sentencing, telling the judge, “I am innocent of these crimes” and “I never asked anyone to harm or murder my husband.”
Elizabeth “Becky” Fox-Doerr was 52 when her murder trial began on May 6, 2024. Prosecutors accused her of conspiring with her sister’s fiancé to kill her 51-year-old husband, “Robbie,” a 28-year veteran firefighter.
At her sentencing hearing on July 17, 2024, Elizabeth Fox-Doerr was sentenced to 90 years in prison on charges of murder and conspiracy for the death of her husband, Robert Doerr, who prosecutors say was gunned down in his driveway by Fox-Doerr’s lover. (Court TV)
In her opening statement, prosecutor Diana Moers-Davis told the jury that Becky was in the kitchen cooking dinner when her lover and alleged triggerman, Larry Richmond Sr., ambushed Robbie after he returned home from a grueling 12-hour shift.
Prosecutors said the defendant made a four-minute phone call to Richmond, planning the murder, then deleted the call to cover her tracks. But the defense argued that the conversation never happened: “No evidence about Becky getting a gun. No evidence about anyone plotting her husband’s death. That evidence does not exist,” defense attorney Mark Phillips said in his opening statement.
Becky told investigators she was the only one home the night of her husband’s death and saw headlights in the driveway before hearing “a bunch of popping noises.” She watched her husband take his last breaths as she called 911 and attempted to field questions from concerned neighbors.
During the investigation, a letter Robbie wrote to Becky suggesting infidelity, including comments of “ever since he came back into your life” and “I see his text on your phone,” was discovered. Police also seized Becky’s phone, which revealed a call to Richmond, who lived with Becky’s sister, which led to suspicions of an affair between the two.
During Becky’s trial, Richmond’s son, Larry Richmond Jr., testified about a Taurus Judge gun he said he stole from a pawn shop in 2018 and gave to his father. Data collected from Richmond Sr.’s phone helped police place him near the scene of the crime.
Additionally, witnesses from the Evansville Fire Department testified about discussions on pension benefits, suggesting a possible financial motive.
Ultimately, the jury sided with the prosecution and found Beck guilty of murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Elizabeth “Becky” Fox-Doerr was 52 when her murder trial began on May 6, 2024. Prosecutors accused her of conspiring with her sister’s fiancé to kill her 51-year-old husband, “Robbie,” a 28-year veteran firefighter. (Court TV)
After the verdict, Fox-Doerr appeared somber, with her face slightly trembling at certain points as Vanderburgh Superior Court Judge Robert J. Pigman thanked the jurors for their service. She was then ushered back to her cell at the Vanderburgh County Jail, where she’s been held since July 2022, according to jail records.
At her sentencing hearing on June 17, 2024, Lindsay Griffin, the victim’s daughter, delivered a piercing statement, saying her father loved the defendant so much that “he sacrificed his relationship with me.” The victim’s sister, Angela Roybal, teared up as she lamented her brother’s absence at family gatherings and holidays.
Two of Fox-Doerr’s sons also addressed the court – her stepson, Nathaniel Guthrie, for the prosecution and her son, Taylor Barrett, for her.
Fox-Doerr’s lawyer, Mark Phillips, echoed his client’s claims of innocence. Phillips argued she was prosecuted for the gunman’s actions and urged the court to consider what he described as a burgeoning legal doctrine called “residual doubt.”
Prosecutor Diana Moers-Davis, however, argued aggravating factors in support of consecutive sentencing, including the existence of a conspiracy and her relationship to the victim.
