ODESSA — Three years after its filing, a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Teresa Blain — the mother of Sophia Sullivan, a Marfa ISD teacher killed in Fort Davis in 2018 — may soon result in a payout in damages from the alleged killer. 

Daniel Sullivan was indicted in 2018 for first-degree murder in the stabbing death of his wife Sophia — but the ensuing trial in Jeff Davis County ended in a hung jury and, nearly four years later, has yet to be retried. While the criminal case has gathered dust, Sophia Sullivan’s mother chose to take action through the civil courts, filing a wrongful death lawsuit against Daniel in 2020.

On March 30, an Ector County court handed down a ruling in Blain’s favor, stating that Daniel Sullivan had caused Sophia’s death, and is liable under the Texas Wrongful Death Act. A May trial date has been set to determine the matter of damages owed.

Blain’s complaint argued that Daniel had intentionally caused the death of her daughter, which, in addition to taking Sophia’s life, “subjected [Blain] to ongoing and repeated distress.” If Sophia had survived her injuries, the suit argued, she would have been entitled to take legal action.

Blain’s counsel sought damages of at least $1 million, citing “mental anguish, loss of consortium, grief, bereavement, loss of advice, care and counsel, loss of society and companionship, [and] medical expenses.” 

The civil case is an aftershock of the criminal trial that tore apart small-town Fort Davis in 2019 and ultimately ended inconclusively. Central to the trial was the testimony of the Sullivans’ young son — the sole witness of the murder — who identified his father as the killer to authorities, to a neighbor, and on the witness stand. The defense argued that authorities had improperly questioned the child.

As evidence, prosecutors also produced gruesome bodycam footage of the crime scene; testimonies from neighbors, friends and law enforcement; and extensive text message records revealing tensions in the couple’s marriage. 

Disagreements about how the evidence was collected — and the conclusions that could be drawn from it — heightened tensions throughout a two-week trial. After nearly 17 hours of deliberation, jurors remained deadlocked, and Judge Roy Ferguson declared a mistrial on November 4, 2019. 

Daniel Sullivan was released on bond in 2019 and currently resides in Illinois.

Blain’s 2020 complaint to the 161st District Court argued that “divorce was imminent,” and that Sophia was actively researching legal avenues for taking over sole custody of her son and moving into teacher housing in Marfa. The complaint also suggested that Sophia may have been privy to Daniel’s “habitual drug [use]” and “online solicitation of male prostitutes.” 

According to the complaint, if Sophia had been able to divorce Daniel, Daniel would have been removed as the beneficiary of her $150,000 life insurance policy, which he attempted to collect on the day of his arrest. 

Daniel — representing himself — filed his original answer to Blain’s complaint shortly after its filing. He denied the claims made in the complaint, requesting “strict proof thereof.” 

The suit languished until the start of 2023, when Blain enlisted new counsel. On January 24 of this year, Daniel was served with a series of questions and “Requests for Admissions,” and was asked to produce an array of documentation, including cell phone, employment and court records within a 30-day time frame.

Among the Requests for Admissions included in the filing were requests that Daniel Sullivan admit he had intentionally killed his wife. “Admit that the reason that you intentionally killed Sophia Sullivan … was because she had decided to divorce you,” the document reads. 

Blain’s attorneys cited Rule 198 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, stating that the statements set forth would be deemed admitted unless the defendant responded within the prescribed 30-day time frame, “setting forth in detail the reason why it cannot be truthfully admitted or denied.”

Daniel did not file a response. On February 24, Blain’s counsel filed a motion for partial summary judgment, and on March 30, the court granted that motion, ruling that Daniel Sullivan had intentionally caused the death of Sophia Sullivan, and that Daniel was liable to Blain pursuant to the Texas Wrongful Death Act. A hearing date to determine damages has been set for May 4 in Odessa. 

John Sopuch, Blain’s attorney, anticipated that the proceedings would be difficult for all involved. “What we’re trying to do is something that’s almost impossible — which is to put a monetary value on the relationship between a mother and daughter,” he said. 

Sopuch said that the damages would go to support Daniel Sullivan’s son, currently in the care of Blain. (Though the child has been named in court documents, The Big Bend Sentinel has chosen not to use his name because he is a minor.)

A favorable ruling in the wrongful death suit would also remove Daniel as the beneficiary of Sophia’s life insurance policy — which Daniel has not been able to collect, given his indictment. That payout would then also be entrusted to their son. 

The criminal case, meanwhile, has seen no movement since the 2019 mistrial. District Attorney Ori White said that the criminal charges against Daniel would be re-tried, but didn’t have a firm timeline, thanks to a series of pandemic-related delays. 

“This is a very important trial,” he said. “But our backlog of cases — it’s just staggering.”

White also said that he was considering filing for a change of venue because his office has had difficulty enlisting jurors — a move that might ultimately appeal to the defense, given the nature of the crime and the limited jury pool in Jeff Davis County. 

“Justice needs to be served in this case,” he said.