Famous Crimes: The Texas Cadet Murder case

It was one of the most-publicized murder cases in Tarrant County history. Diane Zamora and David Graham, right, exemplary teens who had won appointments to two of the nation's presitigious military academies, were convicted of killing a Mansfield High School sophomore. The case drew national attention and became the subject of a made-for-TV movie. In today's Famous Crimes installment, Staff Writer Deanna Boyd tells us about a murder case that began 12 years ago today with the discovery of a body.

-- Lance Murray

It began as simple girl-talk but unraveled a deadly secret.

In her dorm room at the Naval Academy in Annapolis on a late night in August 1996, midshipman Diane Zamora confided in her two roommates about the deep bond that she shared with her boyfriend, David Graham, a cadet at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

“We hold each other’s fates in our hands,” Zamora explained.

“What did you do, kill someone?”, one the girls quipped.

Zamora’s answer was unexpected.

“I didn’t kill anyone, but because of me, someone’s dead.”

That someone was Adrianne Jones, left, a 16-year-old Mansfield High School sophomore whose body was found in a secluded Grand Prairie field 12 years ago today.

Zamora’s confession to her girlfriends, some nine months after the discovery of Jones body, breathed life into a stale investigation that had already led to the wrongful arrest and release shortly thereafter of one teen and seemed destined to go unsolved forever.

“I think the girl talk was the one thing that started the ball rolling,” said Mike Parrish, who, in 1998, successfully prosecuted both Zamora and Graham on capital murder charges for Jones’ death.

“Once the girls spent a troubled night, they both went, as the honor code required them to do, to superiors and reported what Diana had said,” Parrish said. “Without that, the ball never gets rolling. Without that, could they (Zamora and Graham) have graduated from their academies, been married and been an astronaut and airline pilot? You bet.”

Authorities said a jealous Zamora had ordered her boyfriend to kill Jones after Graham claimed he had had a one-time sexual encounter with Jones while driving her home after a cross country meet. Prosecutors and Graham’s defense attorney later conceded that no sexual encounter ever took place.

Just before midnight on Dec. 4, 1995, Graham lured Jones into meeting him, then drove her a secluded Grand Prairie road.

There, he tried unsuccessfully to break her neck. When she struggled, Zamora, who had been hiding in the car’s trunk, emerged and struck Jones in the head with a dumbbell.

Jones was able to escape the car and stagger to a nearby field before collapsing. Graham gave chase, shooting her twice in the head as she lay wounded and defenseless on the ground.

In separate trials in 1998, both Graham and Zamora were found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison.

Zamora, now 29, is incarcerated in the Mountain View Unit in Gatesville.

Graham, 30, sits in the Ellis Unit near Huntsville.

It will be Sept. 5, 2036 before they’re even eligible for parole.

Though both of their convictions have been upheld through appeals, earlier this year Zamora, below, went on the NBC television show Dateline, insisting she is not a killer. A polygraph she submitted to, however, indicated otherwise.

For Parrish, the killers were unlike anyone he had ever prosecuted before or again in his 26 years with the Tarrant County District Attorney’s office.

“It was two of America’s best and brightest with everything to live for and the world out there ahead of them just waiting to be conquered,” Parrish said. “For them to do such a cowardly, dastardly act together, and then continue the rest of their high school year like nothing was wrong and get into their academies, it just was so out of the ordinary.”

“It’s out of the extraordinary that you even have one kid who ...commits a crime this bad,” he added. “But here’s two that get together to commit this crime. It’s almost unbelievable. If you wrote it as fiction, people might not believe it.”

-- Deanna Boyd

-- Star-Telegram file photos

Comments

[Susie Trevino]

They desirve what they got i feel bad for the victim and her family.

[K. Sherlock]

This tragic murder should not be referred to as a "love triangle". The unsuspecting victim, Adrianna Jones, had no idea David Graham was spoken for much less that an evil, vicious and jealous killer, Diane Zamora, was waiting in the background waiting to get rid of her.

Murder is murder. This murder was carefully thought out and executed by two of the most calculating, albeit outstanding, honor students in history. What makes you think 40 years will change their obsessive love for each other? Don't be fooled by their good behaviour. K

[S. Franklin]

No, this should not be referred to as a "love triangle." It not fair to the deceased woman. And, why didn't both Zamora & Graham get the death penalty? The deceased had no earthly idea of what was coming; all because of Graham's deception.

[Mage]

I agree. To call this a "love triangle" is disrespect to the innocent Adrienne Jones who was a pawn in David Grahams ploy to make his psycho girlfriend jealous.

BTW Supposedly the family of the victim opted that neither receive the death penalty...but don't quote

[jazzmine]

Me and my boyfriend r kinda goin threw da same thing he cheated on me with sum little freshmen but i would never ask hym to kill anyone

[alondra]

I believe that both david and diane deserve the death penalty.they took the life of an innocent 16 year old, Adrienne Jones, because diane was jealous its not fair and not right. 40 years won't make a difference. they shoudn't even be eligable for parole they should rot in their cell for the rest of their guilt filled life. They don't deserve to have freedom.

[rosalie young]

I have been intrigued by this story ever since it happened in 1996 and also have seen the movie The Texas cadet Murder several times. I guess I,ll never understand what drove them to commit such a horrific crime when they had so much to live for. I blame Diane for instigating the crime to punish Adrianne Jones for David being unfaithful to her. I don,t beleive in the death penalty, but maybe they should have gotten the death penalty.But after serving 40 years, they won,t have too much of thier life left to live, if they don,t die in prison first. They certainally didn,t have any regard for poor Adrianne Jones life.

[Camry]

i hate the fact that someone one would even think of killing someone younger than them.I mean hitting them in the head is enough but then shooting her twice in the head thats horrible.They didn't need to kill Mrs.Jones just because her and David Graham had something going on.They could've just ignored adrianne.

[Marsha]

I saw the movie Love Triangle: the Texas Cadet Murder and like the fact that it's VERY accruate. But i dont think that Diane should have insisted on David killing Adrianne. They had their whole successful lives ahead of them. But becasuse of spite, that young girl was murdered. Maybe 40 years in prison will change David and Diane. Maybe they should rot in jail for the rest of their ruined lives!!

[Diane hester]

well i'm not from texas i seen the movie and got on line and read about it and i can only say wow because i couldn;t beleive it;s young people out there to do such things my heart goe;s out to the family of adrianne jones let god be with you

[Kesha]

This is such a sad story. Watching about it in the movie was one thing, but knowing that it actually happened makes it even worse. Diane should have been mad at David, not Adrianne. He knew he had a girlfriend, but he slept with her anyway. Ain't no love for another human being that strong that you feel you have to kill an innocent person to prove it to that person. I love my family, but I wouldn't go kill someone they didn't like to show it.

[Sonia]

I went thru that many years with my now husband. believe me i was pissed as hell when i found out but, it never even crossed my mind to kill. But, i'm sure if it did cross my mind i probably would have killed him.

[Santana]

I'm from the Caribbean and to me this is an act of undue jealousy, Dianne was so insecure that she felt that Adrianne would win David's heart over and so she manipulated him into this...

This has made me think and re-consider my jealous tantrums, I feel for the family of their prey...God Bless

[Joanne]

Diane was consumed with JEALOUSLY over the thought this girl slept with her boyfriend (David was HER possession) and Diane wanted revenge. Guys, including David, who sleep with other girls don't feel compelled to kill the girls they sleep with. No this was DEFINITELY Diane Zamora's insane jealousy who manipulated David, the dupe, to help THEM kill Adrienne. This was the only way Diane said HE could make it better with HER. David denied sleeping with Adrienne but Zamora was having none of it. She wanted Adrienne dead. I cannot believe Zamora is playing the woman victim card and boo hooing about how David manipulated her when it was QUITE clearly the opposite way. This was a GIRL type reason for killing - not a Boy's. Zamora failed a polygraph test after she was sentenced where she tried to blame David for everything and she wanted out claiming she was the woman "victim". OMG! They both deserve the electric chair with Diane Zamara getting a few extra volts.

What is really funny is Diane Zamora will be 58 years old (1978-2036) before she is even eligible for parole-WAY too late to have babies. I hope they both get out and David has lots of babies with a better woman. Diane RUINED his life.

[Dee Conniff]

David Grahama has said that they didn't even have sex!! he is a twisted man who had decided to test Diane by making her think he cheated.. he is sick because not only did he lie to Diane he actually committed murder to see how deep their "love" was. It will be interesting to me to see an interview with David forcing him to announce on national tv that he lied and still decided to do the unspeakable act of killing a girl for NO REASON.. And Diane is so flawed to think that if you kill the one who was with your man it erases the act and they can be normal..
if it wasn't real I would be thinking someone is making it up

[bradley]

i see the film this is how i no about this sad sad story no one should be taken like that they both should have been put to the chair its so sad and it gets me

[Manny]

I think Diane Zamora is hot!

[shamie mills]

It is sad for the David & Diane's families too. So much promise and then this. They have to live with that shame.
It is unlikely that David & Diane would ever kill again. Their guilt feelings were so strong. It was a merciful act that AJ's family didn't ask for the death penalty.

[Kewan Woodard]

You got nobody to blame but yourself Diane ,you brought all this up on yourself by having an innocent victim like Adrianne Jones killed because you really couldn't stand the fact that david was fooling with her and YOU Diane should have found another way to resolve this situation by asking david about her but seems to my you went too damn far not using your head you damn near decided both you david to kill her and you gonna sit there in prison just pretending your innocent well seriously you ain't !

[kim]

This is a tragedy for the family of Adrianne Jones. God bless them. We as a nation should agree this crime is punishable to the full extent. Life in prison. Not the death penalty.
No parole.