Former Texas A&M wide receiver Thomas Johnson was convicted Tuesday of killing a Dallas jogger in 2015.
On the morning of Oct. 12, 2015, Johnson attacked 53-year-old Dave Stevens with a machete as he jogged around White Rock Lake, a popular exercise trail in Dallas. The attack was random; Johnson later told police he was “upset about his living situation at the time,” according to NBCDFW. Johnson made no attempt to flee or pursue his innocence, telling a 911 operator, “He’s dead. There was a sword in his head. Do you understand?”
He led onlookers to Stevens’ body, where the machete was still lodged in his head, according to the Dallas Morning News. Stevens’ wife, Patti, committed suicide two weeks after her husband’s murder.
A Dallas native, Johnson signed with Texas A&M in 2012 but lasted only 10 games with the Aggies, catching 30 passes for 339 yards with one touchdown in his true freshman season. He disappeared from the team without explanation and resurfaced three days later, back home in Dallas.
Johnson’s family said he was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2014. He was found not fit to stand trial and sent to a psychiatric hospital in 2016, but was found fit to stand trial months later. He entered a not guilty plea, but his attorney did not call any witnesses during the trial, and his attorney said Tuesday he was asked to rest without producing any evidence at the request of his client.
The trial began Monday, and jurors needed only 30 minutes of deliberation to come to a guilty verdict.
The sentencing phase was to begin immediately, but an outcome was not available as of press time. Johnson could face anywhere from five years to life in prison.