Terry Rose sentenced to 40 years after remains of Kimberly Langwell recovered beneath home
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Summary
Terry Rose pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 40 years after police recovered human remains under the slab of his Lindbergh residence that forensic testing identified as Kimberly Langwell. Witness testimony described a 1999 confession and the 2024 excavation that recovered the remains.
Terry Rose pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 40 years in the institutional division of the Texas Department of Corrections after investigators recovered human remains beneath the slab of his Lindbergh home and later identified them as Kimberly Langwell.
Prosecutors presented witness testimony and forensic findings that led to the plea and sentence. David Duane Wiley testified he was told by Rose in 1999 that Rose had "shot her ... the back of the head" and had buried the victim under his house; Wiley said he kept the secret for 25 years before coming forward in 2024. Detective Heather Wilson of the Beaumont Police Department described a search warrant executed June 10–14, 2024, that used ground‑penetrating radar (with assistance from Texas EquiSearch) to locate an anomalous area under the front bedroom slab, where excavation recovered remains and assorted personal items.
An autopsy showed a gunshot wound to the back of the skull. Forensic anthropologists at the University of North Texas examined the remains and compared dental records and a surgical appliance in the foot; DNA testing was conducted against a sample from the victim’s daughter, Tiffany McGinnis, and the laboratory returned a maternity match confirming the remains were the mother of McGinnis.
The court also admitted a recorded inmate phone call (State's Exhibit 1) identified by Captain Michael Ponder as a call placed by Rose. Portions of the call were played. The state argued the recording, together with the recovery of remains and the testimony, showed concealment and lack of remorse; defense counsel said parts of the call referred to a separate civil matter. The prosecutor told the court the recordings and other facts supported imposing the full statutory cap given Rose’s conduct.
Victim Tiffany McGinnis addressed the court and asked for the maximum allowable sentence. The judge, after listening to testimony and argument, told Rose he had previously entered his plea freely and voluntarily and pronounced a 40‑year sentence. The judge memorialized the sentence on the record: "I'm going to sentence you to a term of 40 years in the institutional division of the Texas Department of Corrections." The court also read statutory admonitions about post‑conviction firearm possession restrictions and ordered the paperwork to complete the plea certification that removes appeal rights.
The judge paused for a victim‑impact statement and then directed the defendant be transported to the Texas Department of Corrections. The sentencing closed with the judge thanking law enforcement and noting the decision reflected the harm done to the victim’s family.
Next steps: the defendant will be processed for transfer to the institutional division; the court record and required certifications will be filed reflecting the plea and sentence.
