TYLER, Texas — Jurors found a Tyler man guilty on Thursday of using a machete to kill a mother of four in May 2022.
David Michael Thompson, 51, was convicted for the murder of his girlfriend Jaci Wilkerson, 40, of Smith County, following a jury trial that began Wednesday in the 475th District Court.
Jurors deliberated for about 30 minutes before returning with a guilty verdict. The jury also found that Thompson used a deadly weapon while committing the murder. The sentencing phase of the trial will start Friday morning.
Wilkerson was found dead at Thompson's apartment in Tyler in the early morning hours of May 25, 2022, with severe head trauma, police said. An arrest affidavit stated officers found a bloody machete on Thompson's bed and blood on a pillow in Thompson's room as well as blood on the walls and doors.
Thompson’s roommate said Thompson and Wilkerson had a "violent" relationship, and Thompson was crazy, bipolar, and had a violent personality, the affidavit read. Wilkerson had sought a protection order against Thompson, which he violated, according to police.
Family, friends and co-workers told our news partners, the Tyler Morning Telegraph, Wilkerson was an empathetic, loving and “truly irreplaceable” woman.
The Tyler police detective, who interviewed Thompson, testified Thursday to the state that Thompson admitted to intentionally killing Wilkerson using a machete.
In the interview, Thompson said he killed Wilkerson because it was best for the child they had together. He said he knew the consequences of deciding to kill Wilkerson. He believed after Wilkerson's death that one of his family members would adopt the child.
In the police interview, Thompson said Wilkerson was trying to "sabotage" him for the last two years.
Thompson claimed in the interview that while having sex, Wilkerson said to him that he would accept her for who she was and she would sleep with whoever she wanted. The Tyler police detective on the stand said it seemed strange that they would have a conversation like that while in the middle of sex.
Thompson claimed after this comment was made he snapped and used the machete on Wilkerson. He later said he took the machete out after they had sex.
The statement that Thompson claimed Wilkerson made could be emasculating, but it wasn’t so emasculating that Thompson didn’t stop having sex, the detective testified.
Thompson asked his roommate to not be at their apartment the night of Wilkerson's death, which the detective said suggests premeditation.
He recalled to police that Wilkerson was trying to get out of the apartment, but he hit her with a hammer three times. After hitting her with a hammer, he planned to cut her throat and let her bleed out.
He recalled hearing the sound of her trying to breathe, which is something he said he'll never forget. After using the hammer, Thompson said he slit her throat, the detective testified.
When describing the death of Wilkerson, the detective said Thompson showed no emotion. After killing her, Thompson left the apartment and drove her car out of town. He discarded evidence, including both of their phones, while driving on different highways. He ultimately turned himself in less than 24 hours later in the Lindale area.
Thompson said in the interview to avoid killing Wilkerson, he should have just "pulled out" so that she would not have become pregnant.
The detective testified he believed Thompson's actual reason for killing Wilkerson was because Wilkerson was out with other men, not the baby.
The officer said investigators determined Wilkerson was in a relationship with at least one other man besides Thompson.
A significant amount of what Thompson said was backed up by evidence. Thompson has a clear memory of what happened before, during, and after Wilkerson was killed, the detective testified.
The defense chose not to present witnesses and rested its case.
During closing arguments, Smith County Assistant District Attorney Richard Vance said some crime scene detectives told the jury the scene in this case was the worst they had seen.
Vance emphasized that Thompson admitted to killing Wilkerson with a machete and added there's other evidence proving he did kill her without a doubt.
He told the jury if they follow the law, the longest thing they'll have to do is pick a foreman. The defense decided to waive their closing arguments.