Glen Rose mother pleads guilty to the murder of her daughter

By Diana Valdez—

Guest Writer

A 57-year-old Glen Rose woman pleaded guilty Wednesday to murder for the July 1 shooting death of her daughter in what she described as a mercy killing.

In a plea bargain hearing Tuesday, Catherine Bise, 57, was sentenced to five years in prison with credit for the 130 days she has been waiting trial in the Somervell County jail.

Bise was arrested on July 1 after calling police. In an interview on Oct. 23 at the jail with Texan News, she said her daughter was suicidal and asked for help in ending her life.

“She had told me throughout the month of June that she was suicidal,” Bise said.

“She wanted to end her life,” Bise said of her daughter. “She convinced me that was what she wanted done…That Sunday afternoon she told me she wanted to take a nap and didn’t want to wake up.”

“I had a pistol and I shot her in the head,” Bise said.

Bise said her daughter suffered from Ehlers-Dahlos Syndrome, a genetic disorder that left her in near constant pain. Ehlers-Dahlos Syndrome is a disorder that affects connective tissue, primarily skin, joints and blood vessel walls. Ehlers-Dahlos Syndrome has no cure but it can be treated if diagnosed on time.

In court on Tuesday, Bise appeared calm as she answered questions from the judge. The prosecutor said an intensive investigation was conducted, including a polygraph examination of Bise.

“It‘s clear that her daughter was in intensive pain,” said prosecutor Dale Hanna. “It’s tragic situation, but under the state of Texas law, it’s still a murder.”

To watch a video of Catherine Bise’s interview in the Somervell County jail, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1alQbILvtI.

Here is a transcription of the interview:

INTERVIEW CATHERINE BISE

Texan News– FIRST I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TALKING TO ME AND I AM VERY SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS.

Bise-THANK YOU

Texan News– LETS START WITH WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR DAUGHTER

Bise– MY DAUGHTER WAS VERY VERY INDEPENDENT SHE WAS A GOOD CHILD THROUGHOUT HER CHILDHOOD SHE WENT TO WORK AT FOSSIL RIM SHE WORKED THERE FOR 7 YEARS. SHE LOVE IT AND THEN SHE STARTED GETTING SICK.

Texan News– HOW OLD WAS SHE WHEN SHE GOT SICK

Bise– SHE REALLY STARTED GETTING BAD ABOUT 17 A LOT OF SERIOUS COPING PROBLEMS AND BLADDER PROBLEMS AND THEN AT 19 SHE TORE HER SHOULDER AND THAT’S WHEN IT GOT DIAGNOSED AS EHLER-DANLOS SYNDROME

Texan News– TELL ME ABOUT HER ILLNESS WHAT WAS YOUR DAUGHTER GOING THROUGH

Bise– HER INTERNAL ORGANS WERE WEAK HER LIGAMENTS ON HER SHOULDER BOTH SHOULDERS BOTH WRIST BOTH ANKLES AND ONE HIP WERE TEARING THE DOCTORS TRIED TO PUT HER SHOULDER TOGETHER THAT DIDN’T HELP. SHE HAD INFECTION ON HER SKIN, NARCOLEPSY, A DISEASE CALLED POSTURAL ORTHOSTATIC TACHYCARDIA SYNDROME (POTS) MADE HER VERY DIZZY WHEN SHE STOOD UP, LAID DOWN GOT DIZZY SHE COULDN’T SLEEP. SHE HAD TROUBLE FOCUSING ON THINGS, HER FINGERS STARTED TO CURVE FROM THE NERVE DAMAGE, SHE COULDN’T WRITE ANYMORE SHE HAD TO GIVE UP HER JOB THAT SHE HAD SINCE 16. SHE JUST COULDN’T DO IT ANYMORE, MAY OF THIS YEAR WHEN THEY TOLD HER SHE WAS GOING TO HAVE SHOULDER SURGERY SHE DIDN’T WANT IT ANYMORE.

Texan News– WAS SHE IN A LOT OF PAIN

Bise-YES, PAIN WAS THE MAIN THING

Texan News-WAS THERE A CURE FOR HER ILLNESS

Bise-NO, THERE WAS NO CURE IS A GENETIC DEFORMATION OF COLLAGEN.

Texan News– TELL US WHAT HAPPEN THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT

Bise-THAT PARTICULAR DAY

Texan News-YES MA’AM

Bise-WELL SHE HAD TOLD ME THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF JUNE THAT SHE WAS SUICIDAL, SHE WANTED TO END HER LIFE I TRIED TO TALK TO HER ABOUT OTHER OPTIONS AND SHE WOULD CONSIDER IT IF WE TALKED SOME MORE BUT SHE CONVINCED ME THAT, THAT WAS WHAT SHE WANTED DONE. SO WE SPEND THE WEEKEND DOING SOME STUFF TALKING TO SOME PEOPLE SHE WANTED TO TALK TO HER FRIEND SHE HAD IN IRELAND. UM SHE TOLD ME SOME THINGS SHE WANTED ME TO GIVE TO HER SISTER-IN-LAW AND HER BEST FRIENDS AND THEN THAT SUNDAY AFTERNOON SHE TOLD ME SHE WANTED TO TAKE A NAP AND SHE DIDN’T WANT TO WAKE UP.

Texan News– HOW DID SHE DIE

Bise– IM SORRY?

Texan News-HOW DID THE MURDER HAPPEN

Bise-I HAD A PISTOL AND I SHOT HER IN THE HEAD

Texan News– HOW ARE YOU COPING WITH THE AFTERMATH

Bise– I ACTUALLY FEEL A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF RELIEF I KNOW THAT SHE IS NOT SUFFERING EVERYDAY I KNOW SHE IS NOT TERRIFIED, TERROR WAS THE MAIN THING SHE HAD FOR THE LAST MONTHS. SHE WAS IN A SUPPORT GROUP FOR EHLERS AND SEVERAL OF HER FRIENDS SUFFERED FROM SPONTANEOUS STOMACH RUPTURES, ONE GIRL IN CLEBURNE HER HEART COLLAPSED. AND CLAIRE JUST DIDN’T HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO HER FUTURE. I WAS AT WORK MOST OF THE TIME IT WAS HARD FOR HER. AND HONESTLY, NOW I FEEL LIKE SHE IS SAFE AND NOT SCARED SO AS FAR AS WHAT HAPPENS TO ME DOESN’T MATTER. I’VE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH THE HARDEST 5 YEARS OF MY LIFE SO WHAT COMES TO ME IS FINE.

Texan News– DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER CHILDREN

Bise– I HAVE A SON HE’S 30 LIVES HERE IN TOWN AND MARRIED

Texan News– HOW IS THE FAMILY COPING

Bise-THE FAMILY HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE MY BROTHER COMES AND VISITS ME EVERY VISITATION DAY MY SON IS TORN UP ABOUT IT BUT HE’S BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE HE’S BEEN HELPING WITH MY HOUSE TRYING TO RENT IT OUT AND OTHER THAN THAT I COULDN’T AS FOR A BETTER SUPPORT FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

Texan News– HOW ARE YOUR DAYS HERE AT THE JAIL, ARE THEY TREATING YOU WELL, ARE YOU IN A SINGLE CELL OR ARE YOU WITH OTHER INMATES

Bise-ABSOLUTEY, NO I’M WITH SOME OTHER PEOPLE I ACTUALLY PREFERRED IF I WAS ALONE BUT THEY GOT ME IN WITH SOME OTHER PEOPLE IT’S FINE EVERYBODY HERE IS GREAT I GREW UP IN THIS TOWN, WELL I DIDN’T GROW UP IN THIS TOWN BUT I BEEN HERE 35 YEARS SO I KNOW A LOT OF THEM HERE, THERE REALLY IS NOT A LOT TO DO HERE THERE’S NO JOB SO I CAN’T BE A TRUSTEE SO THAT’S VERY DIFFICULT SO I SPEND MY TIME READING.

Texan News-IF YOU COULD LET THE WORLD KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT ALL THIS, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT THEM TO KNOW.

Bise-2 THINGS EHLERS SYNDROME IS FAR MORE COMMON THAN DOCTORS REALIZE, THAT IT CAN BE DIAGNOSIS IF DOCTORS KNOW WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR, THEN THIS KIND OF THINGS COULD BE AVOIDED. AND SECOND THING IS THAT THERE ARE WORST THINGS THAN DEATH.

Texan News– DID HER ILLNESS START REALLY BAD ALL OF A SUDDEN OR WITH TIME DID IT DETERIORATE HER

Bise– LOOKING BACK IT HAS AFFECTED HER, HER ENTIRE LIFE, THE ILLNESS THAT AFFECTED HER AS A CHILD WERE NOT DIAGNOSED BUT LOOKING BACK AND RESEARCHING IT WAS EHLERS DANLOS HAD IT BEEN DIAGNOSED ON TIME SHE COULD HAVE BEEN TREATED. SHE WAS ALSO WHAT PEOPLE CALL DOUBLE JOINTED IF THEY WOULD OF KNOWN ON TIME THEY COULD OF SAVED HER LIGAMENTS. BUT ONCE IT STARTED AT 17 IT WAS ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER AND SHE SUFFERED FROM POST TRAUMATIC STRESS BECAUSE SHE SPEND SO MUCH TIME IN AND OUT OF HOSPITALS BEING TOLD ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER THERE WAS NOTHING TO REPAIR HER TEARS AND SHE WAS GONA HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT.

Texan News– IF YOU COULD OF DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENT WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN

Bise– I WOULDN’T OF DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAT I COULD OF TRIED, TO TAKEN HER TO SEE HER FRIEND IN IRELAND. I WOULD OF DONE ANYTHING I TRIED TO PLEASE HER WITH THINGS BUT SHE WAS JUST IN A LOT OF PAIN. THERE WAS NOTHING SHE COULD DO TO GET OUT OF THAT PAIN. NOT EVEN MEDICATION EVEN THOUGH SHE DID TRY EVERYTHING LIKE MORPHINE SHE WAS ON MORPHINE IN THE HOSPITAL BUT THAT DIDN’T HELP WITH THE PAIN I WOULD OF DONE ANYTHING FOR HER.

Texan News-WHERE IS YOUR CASE AT THE MOMENT HAVE THEY PRESENT IT TO THE GRAND JURY

Bise– THEY PRESENTED TO THE GRAND JURY THEY INDICTED ME FOR MURDER, I PLED NOT GUILTY THEY ARE TRYING TO REDUCE THE CHARGE TO MURDER SUICIDE I HAVE A HEARING IN NOVEMBER BUT IF ANYTHING WILL COME THAT LIKE A PLEA OR SOMETHING MAYBE TILL THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.

Texan News– SO YOU SAID YOU TRIED TO COMMIT SUICIDE AFTERWARDS.

Bise-PARDON ME

Texan News– YOU SAID YOU TRIED TO COMMIT SUICIDE AFTERWARDS

Bise– THAT WAS MY PLAN THAT DAY BUT I COULDN’T I DON’T KNOW WHY AND I AM NOT SUICIDAL NOW I AM HAPPY FOR ALL OF THE EXPOSURE OF EHLERS DAHLOS AWARENESS AND IF THAT’S WHAT COMES WITH ALL THIS IS WORTH IT. MY BROTHER HAS BEEN BRINGING IT UP ON FACEBOOK POST SO ANYTHING THAT BRINGS AWARENESS IT’S WORTH IT.

Texan News-YOU JUST WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW ABOUT YOU DAUGHTERS DISEASE AND HOW PAINFUL IT WAS AND WHAT THE FAMILY HAD TO GO THROUGH

Bise– RIGHT, AND I KNOW I HAVE SOME OTHER FRIENDS THAT HAVE EHNLERS AND I WANT THEM TO KNOW AND BE AWARE THAT IS NOT AS RARE AS THEY THINK IT IS AND IT NEEDS TO GET CHECKED AND DIAGNOSE PROPERLY.

Texan News– ALL THIS WOULD YOU DO IT AGAIN TO STOP YOUR DAUGHTERS SUFFERING TO STOP YOUR DAUGHTERS PAIN

Bise-I DON’T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THAT

Texan News– ARE THERE ANY GROUPS OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE CONTACTED YOU.

Bise-NO NOT REALLY I HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO I HAVE NO WAY OF CONTACTING ANYONE. SEVERAL OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE IN THE SUPPORT GROUP HAVE CONTACTED MY BROTHER.

Texan News– BUT NO ONE HAS CONTACTED YOU

Bise– NO

Texan News– WHAT IS YOUR DAILY ROUTINE IN HERE

Bise– I READ WE GO TO REC FOR AN HOUR THERE IS NOT MUCH TO DO I WRITE DOWN MUSIC IN MY HEAD MOSTLY I AM IN THERE WITH YOUNGER GIRLS I GUESS I KINDA MOTHER THEM

Texan News– WHAT DO YOUR LAWYERS TELL YOU ABOUT YOUR CASE

Bise– MY LAWYERS SAYS SINCE I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN TROUBLE YOU KNOW THAT I MAY BE ABLE TO GET OUT ON PROBATION DROPPED THE CHARGE FROM MURDER TO ATTEMPT SUICIDE OTHER THAN THAT I REALLY DON’T KNOW AND LIKE I SAID WHATEVER HAPPENS TO ME IS FINE I’LL TAKE WHATEVER AS LONG IS OUT THERE AND IT BRINGS AWARENESS AND HELP OTHERS. OTHER THEN THAT IT IS WHAT IT IS.

Texan News– ALRIGHT MRS. BISE WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SITTING DOWN WITH ME AND GIVING ME THIS INTERVIEW. ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO KNOW.

Bise– JUST BRING AWARENESS THE BEST YOU CAN AND JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE LOOK HEALTHY THEIR NOT AND THANK YOU

Texan News– YES MA’AM THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I HOPE WITH ALL THIS WE GET AWARENESS OUT THERE.