CAMERON—The final two defendants in the 2017 Emily Hacker murder—both of whom turned state’s evidence to help secure 50-year terms against their co-defendants—received 18-year and 15-year prison terms during the past week in 20th District Court.
As part of a plea bargain reached earlier this year, 37-year-old John Wayne Stewart and Ashley Wesson-Zawadzke, 23, both of Somerville, had their charges reduced from murder to aggravated assault.
The pair pleaded guilty to that charge earlier in the year. As part of the plea bargain, District Judge John Youngblood could have sentenced them to terms up to 20 years.
Stewart was sentenced to 18 years on Thursday and Wesson-Zawadzke to 15 years on Monday after pre-sentencing hearings.
50 YEARS—Hacker, 34, was beaten to death Jan. 17 in a house at 538 Coulter in Rockdale. Stewart and Wesson-Zawadzke were arrested in connection with the incident, along with Edward Brannon Barry of Caldwell and Candice Jones of Rockdale, both 32.
All four were originally charged with capital murder.
In April of this year, Barry and Jones accepted a plea bargain in which their charges were reduced from capital murder to first-degree murder. They were each sentenced to 50 years, eligible for parole in 25.
Prosecutor Bill Torrey noted that “eligible,” in all four cases, does not mean “entitled to” parole and that each would have to come before the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles after serving half their sentences, 25 years for Jones and Barry, nine years for Stewart and apparently 7-1/2 for Wesson-Zawadzke.
STATE’S EVIDENCE—Torrey said he believed Stewart’s and Wesson-Zawadzke’s decisions to turn state’s evidence were key in securing the convictions of Jones and Barry.
He said Stewart and Wesson-Zawadzke “of course were there, but had lesser roles in aiding and abetting (Jones and Barry) in the murder.
The arrest affidavit filed by Rockdale police states, quoting a co-defendant:
“...Jones took the victim in the back room or basement of the residence at 538 Coulter. After a short time, Jones yelled for assistance. The three co-defendants came to Jones’ assistance.
“Jones was sitting on the victim’s chest and was holding victim’s head by a handful of hair and hitting victim with anything Jones could grab in her other hand. A ratchet wrench was described as being used to inflict the fatal blow as well as other hand tools.”
The affidavit also states Barry struck the victim in the face and head with his elbows and Wesson-Zawadzke furnished a roll of duct tape. The duct tape was wrapped around the victim’s mouth and head and her wrists were bound by some type of cord.
It continues, stating the victim was placed into a large white bag with a zipper, by Barry and Stewart. Wesson-Zawadzke helped Jones remove Jones’ bloody clothes and clean her up, as Jones’ hands were hurt and swollen.
Torrey said it was his opinion that Jones and Barry knowing Stewart and Wesson-Zawadzke were going to testify against them was “a major reason they pled.”
ONE MORE—There’s another person charged in connection with the Hacker case, but not with murder, who is still to be adjudicated.
Hacker’s body was found in a shallow grave in the Lyons area of Burleson County.
Kevin Cormier, then 32, of Caldwell was indicted several weeks after the murder by a Milam County Grand Jury for “tampering with evidence-human corpse.”
Police said it is alleged Cormier participated in moving and burying Hacker’s body.
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