A circuit judge sentenced a Lake Village man to three life terms in the 2012 robbery and beating death of Chicot County tax collector Nell Johnson, 72.
John Thomas Brooks, 50, pleaded guilty to capital murder, felony aggravated robbery and felony aggravated residential burglary Wednesday.
Circuit Judge Sam Pope then sentenced Brooks to the three life terms - one for each offense - without the possibility of parole, according to the sentencing order filed in Chicot County Circuit Court.
Brooks pleaded to avoid the death penalty, 10th Judicial Circuit Prosecuting Attorney Thomas Deen said.
“It’s the route we chose to take,” Deen said of the plea negotiation.
Brooks’ attorney, Toney Brasuell of Little Rock, did not return a telephone message.
Brooks originally pleaded innocent in the May 3, 2012, slaying of Johnson.
Police said someone broke into Johnson’s home and struck her at least 18 times in the head with a hammer. Several drawers in the home were ransacked, and police found several guns in a pile as if to be carried out, an arrest affidavit states.
Police arrested Brooks in June 2012 after investigators found his DNA inside gloves left in a trash bag near Johnson’s home. The bag also contained Johnson’s identification, credit cards, a checkbook and a hammer that had traces of Johnson’s DNA, the affidavit states.
Police also found traces of DNA on a cigarette butt left in a toilet at her home, the affidavit states.
Arkansas, Pages 16 on 04/27/2014