Dateline NBC will document the murder of Manuela Allen of Texas in an upcoming episode, which will air this Friday, October 13, 2023. Titled “The Footprint at the Lake,” the episode will delve into the gruesome and twisted revenge slaying at 9 p.m. ET.
A vicious killer attacked Manuela, a teacher from Olney, Texas, at her family home on July 6, 2019. The mother-of-four was missing from the house along with her car. The following day, authorities found her body, her abandoned car, and crucial evidence near Lake Cooper. She had reportedly been stabbed multiple times, strangled, and even shot.
Manuela Allen’s murder: How many times did the killer stab her?
As previously mentioned, Manuela’s killer attacked her in their Olney family home before dragging her out of the house to a different location. The incident occurred on the night of July 6, 2019, when she was stabbed at least 47 times, strangled, and shot. Her family slept through the night and only found the crime scene the following morning.
Oxygen reported that since the mother-of-four was missing, police executed a widespread search for her on July 7. Archer County Sheriff’s Lt. David Wilk found the victim’s body near Lake Cooper along with her stolen car. They also collected crucial evidence from the scene, including bloody fingerprints and bike tracks.
While the beloved teacher’s slaying seemed like an unsolvable mystery, police linked her daughter’s ex-boyfriend, Julius Mullins, using his bike. Moreover, evidence from the crime scene also suggested that someone familiar with the setting had committed the crime. The high schooler initially denied involvement but later admitted to sneaking into the Allen family’s house and killing the 49-year-old.
The outlet further reported that Manuela’s teen daughter, Kiara, and Mullins broke up six or seven months before the incident. The latter was reportedly not happy about their split. The victim’s family believes heartbreak was the murder motive in the killing. The accused eventually pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse. He received a 55-year prison sentence.
