Suspect in deputy double murder released from Tom Green County Jail

EDEN, TX — The man accused of fatally shooting two Concho County deputies in 2021 has been transferred out of the Tom Green County Jail after a jury ruled he is mentally incompetent to stand trial.

Jeffrey Nicholas, 32, was booked into the jail on May 11, 2021, following the deaths of Deputy Samuel Leonard and Sgt. Stephen Jones. He was formally charged with two counts of capital murder of a peace officer and one count of aggravated assault against a public servant. His bond was set at $6 million.

According to the Tom Green County inmate roster, Nicholas was released from jail at 6:32 a.m. on Sept. 24, 2025, and transferred to another agency. Jail records indicate the transfer follows a court order issued after a jury found him unfit to proceed to trial. He is expected to be committed to Vernon State Hospital for psychiatric treatment.

The jury’s decision came after a two-day competency hearing that began on April 21. The case was presented to a jury due to conflicting mental health evaluations.

Nicholas is accused of opening fire on the deputies on May 10, 2021, as they responded to a dog complaint at a residence on Bryan Street in Eden. A City of Eden employee was also injured in the incident.

According to an affidavit, Nicholas had previously threatened to shoot officers and later admitted during an interview to killing both deputies and injuring the city worker.

The shooting sparked a statewide response and drew public condolences from Governor Greg Abbott and law enforcement agencies across Texas.

A trial had originally been tentatively scheduled for May 2025.