Stacey Easley found not guilty in death of constable’s son
After deliberating for less than two hours, a Travis County jury found Stacey Easley, 52, not guilty of murder in the shooting death of a Travis County constable’s son.
Johnny Edmondson, 29, was shot and killed at the North Austin apartment of his girlfriend, Heather Locke, on April 18. Locke, who had previously dated Easley, told police investigators that she witnessed Easley shoot Edmondson in the face and had fled the scene because she feared for her life. During opening arguments, prosecutors argued that Easley had killed Edmondson out of jealousy.
Testimony in the trial began Tuesday and lasted two days. Closing arguments were presented Thursday morning.
Edmondson was the son of Travis County Precinct 1 Constable Tonya Nixon, the first Black woman elected as a constable in the county. She was the first witness in the trial on Tuesday, testifying that her son had two children and held down jobs when he was not battling his addiction to methamphetamine.
Nixon said she “never gave up” on her son, even as he was in and out of jail. She described Edmondson as “happygo-lucky.”
Leslie Booker, Easley’s defense attorney, argued in her closing argument that the prosecution was based entirely on Locke’s “false accusation” against Easley. She cast doubt on the veracity of Locke’s statements, describing her as an “addict with an ax to grind.”
“They have not reached their burden,” Booker said of prosecutors. “Their star witness is not to be trusted.”
In her closing argument, prosecutor Nancy Nemer acknowledged that there were some “missing pieces” in the state’s account of Edmondson’s death. But, she told jurors, “We have proven beyond a reasonable doubt that (Easley) is guilty.”
Jurors began deliberating shortly before noon Thursday and returned the not-guilty verdict around 2 p.m.
“Stacey Easley has always maintained his innocence,” Booker said in a statement after the verdict. “Today he received justice. I am beyond happy for him.”
Nixon and the Travis County district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.