By Audrey Valenzuela | Staff Writer
The capital murder trial of Brandon Xavier Stephens in Waco ended in a mistrial after the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict.
Stephens, who was charged with the killing of Stanley Wilcox in 2022, faced the possibility of either the death penalty or life in prison without parole if convicted. However, after more than seven hours of deliberation, a lone holdout juror prevented the panel from deciding, leading to the mistrial.
In addition to capital murder, Stephens was charged with tampering with physical evidence and tampering with a corpse, both second-degree felonies.
Wilcox’s body was discovered in early 2023 beneath a bridge spanning a creek in the 1100 block of South 9th Street, near the edge of Baylor’s campus. The victim’s remains were hidden in a remote location, adding to the mystery of the death and fueling the charge of tampering with a corpse against Stephens.
Authorities reported that Wilcox had suffered blunt force trauma to his head, and his body showed signs of having been manipulated after death, suggesting efforts to conceal the crime.
During the trial in McLennan County’s 54th District Court, the prosecution argued that Stephens’ actions fit the criteria for capital murder, claiming that Wilcox had been deliberately killed and Stephens had attempted to destroy the evidence of the crime.
The defense, however, challenged the evidence, seeking to cast doubt on the prosecution’s case.
Despite being provided with detailed instructions on the law, including the legal definitions of murder and the standards required for conviction, the jury struggled to come to a unanimous conclusion.
Jon Gimble, Mclennan County district clerk, said that the jury the deliberated over the case for 7.5 hours. The jury’s notes revealed significant division.
One note, sent at 9:22 p.m., read, “We are still for capital murder and one for murder with no but instance, but one is now feeling we are attacking them.”
The note suggested that the juror who disagreed with the majority felt increasingly pressured, creating tension in the deliberation room. Though most jurors favored a capital murder conviction, the lone holdout juror ultimately caused the deadlock.
In Texas, a capital murder conviction requires a unanimous decision from all 12 jurors. Without unanimity, the judge is forced to declare a mistrial. The mistrial does not resolve the charges but instead sends the case back into the legal system for a potential retrial.
The legal process surrounding a capital murder trial is complex and highly structured. Jurors must carefully review the evidence, apply the law as outlined in the charge and decide whether the defendant is guilty of capital murder.
Gimble said this kind of deadlock is not uncommon in high-stakes cases like capital murder, where the consequences are extreme and the facts may be open to interpretation.
“There are times when people have issues with how the law works, and this can cause spirited debates in the jury room,” Gimble said. “But it’s important to remember that the justice process is not perfect, and sometimes a jury is unable to come to a unanimous decision.”
In this case, the failure to reach a unanimous verdict was due to the holdout juror, who remained unconvinced by the arguments for capital murder despite the majority’s agreement.
For Stephens, the mistrial means the case is far from over. The prosecution now faces a decision: whether to refile charges and proceed with a retrial or offer a plea deal.
If and when the case goes to trial again, a new jury will have to evaluate the evidence and decide whether Stephens is guilty of capital murder or a lesser charge, such as murder. The court plans to set the next trial for April of 2025.
Additionally, a change of venue may be considered if local jurors are deemed to have been influenced by media coverage.
If the trial does proceed to a second round, the next jury will again be tasked with determining the severity of Stephens’ actions, with the possibility of a life sentence or the death penalty hanging in the balance.
