Certification Blunder Derails San Angelo Capital Murder Case

SAN ANGELO, TX — A major error by the prosecution has stalled proceedings in one of West Texas’ most high-profile murder cases.

The prosecution’s expert witness in the competency trial of Jeffrey Nicholas—accused of killing two Concho County deputies—was found to have lapsed certification, forcing 119th District Attorney John Best to disclose the issue just as a jury was seated for the civil trial to determine Nicholas' mental fitness to stand trial.

Nicholas, 32, is charged with two counts of capital murder of a peace officer and one count of aggravated assault on a public servant. He allegedly shot and killed Deputies Stephen Jones and Samuel Leonard on his Eden property in May 2021 after they responded to a report of aggressive dogs. A third man, City of Eden employee Ronnie Winans, was wounded by a stray bullet that passed through the door of a city truck. Winans survived.

The Texas Rangers are leading the investigation.

Typically, mental competency evaluations involve a single expert, with both prosecution and defense agreeing to the findings, which the judge then uses to rule. In this case, the state’s expert deemed Nicholas competent, while a defense-hired expert found him incompetent. The conflicting conclusions prompted the court to impanel a jury for a civil trial.

But just as the trial began, Best informed the court that the state’s expert witness was not currently certified to testify—a fact not previously verified despite his presence on the court’s approved list. The revelation left the judge no choice but to accept the defense’s finding: Nicholas is not mentally competent to stand trial.

Nicholas will now be sent to a state mental health facility for rehabilitation. Until he is declared competent, all court proceedings—including any potential plea deals—are paused. With space limited at such facilities, and added security concerns due to the severity of the charges, it's unclear when treatment will begin or how long it will take.

Once rehabilitation is complete, Nicholas will be re-evaluated, and if found competent to stand trial, the capital murder trial can proceed. In the meantime, he remains in the Tom Green County Detention Center on a $6 million bond awaiting transfer to a treatment facility.