A murder trial with an unusual defense begins today

Dallas (WBAP/KLIF) – Trial begins today in Dallas for 25 year old Thomas Johnson who has already admitted he murdered Dave Stevens three and a half years ago on White Rock Trail. Stevens was hacked to death with a machete for no apparent reason. Johnson admitted killing him at the time, but his attorneys have entered a “not guilty by reason of insanity” plea for his trial. Johnson was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2014. A court found him incompetent to stand trial in April 2016, and sent him to the North Texas State Hospital. He was ruled able to understand the charges against him ten months ago, so his postponed murder trial starts today.
As a postscript, in 2015 victim Dave Stevens’ wife of 25 years was unable to bear the grief of her husband’s murder, and killed herself two weeks after he was killed.