Eddie Johnson - 1963

Eddie Johnson - 1988

Chandler High School student, Christopher Michael Shepherd, 17, was ordered Monday to stand trial as an adult on a first-degree murder charge of Franklin Edward Johnson Jr., 43.  Shepherd allegedly told investigators that it was his companion, Robert Lee Smith, 16, who fatally shot Johnson once in the eye with a .223 caliber round fired from an AR-15 semi-automatic assault rifle.

Johnson was found dead about 9:30 a. m. on December 8 at his residence four miles north of Chandler and about one mile west of S. H. 18.  The motive of the slaying was to steal Johnson's 1989 truck to go to Texas, witnesses said.  According to testimony from Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agent Mike Collins, Shepherd stated during an interview that Smith stood on Johnson's front porch, while he hid behind the bushes waiting for Johnson who was feeding livestock behind his residence.  Smith allegedly shot Johnson from approximately 60 feet away as Johnson walked away from the barn towards the house.  Collins said the two dragged his body to Johnson's pickup but were unable to lift him in the truck.  Johnson's body was found two days later "in a sitting position in the storm cellar" by Lincoln County Undersheriff Jack Cook and Deputy Marion Barrett.

Shepherd and Smith were apprehended Thursday, December 7, following a traffic accident near Morris.  The teens ran two roadblocks trying to elude law officers.  Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Tommy Hobbs finally stopped them on U.S. 75, south of Henryetta, after a 20 mile, high speed chase.  Johnson's wallet, a loaded AR-15 assault rifle and .22 caliber pistol were found in the truck when Hobbs stopped the two teens.  Hobbs also testified that he found alleged stolen articles including two coats, a small television and a 12 inch knife in the vehicle.  The youth were also arrested for possession of marijuana.

Shepherd and Smith had been spotted Wednesday evening approximately two miles west of the victim's residence at 3:45 p.m. by two Chandler High School youth, Carrie Marks and Annette Simon, according to testimony by Marks.  Marks said she spotted the teens on her way to drop off Simon, who lives in that same area.  She drove them to Simon's house, talked for a few minutes and left, she testified.  "We talked about Chris' ex-girlfriend, Becky Simon.  Chris talked to me and Robert talked to Annette on her side of the car.  I could tell he (Shepherd) had been drinking by the way he walked," she said.  Marks testified that Shepherd was wearing a jean jacket and he had a cut on the top of his hand.  She also said he had a pistol tucked in his jeans.  "They (Shepherd and Smith) said they would use it (the gun) if they had to get a car to leave," she stated.

The teens told her they were planning to run away to Texas because they had friends there and thought they could find a job.  Deputy Barrett stated previously that Shepherd moved to Chandler in April from Wills Point, Texas, where he lived with his mother.  "They said they had broken into houses and a church.  They went inside and messed things up," she said.  Shepherd allegedly showed her the gun and "said he got it from one of the houses."  Three homes and the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery Chapel were vandalized in that area, including the home of Shepherd's grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Billy B. Spilman, where Shepherd resided at the time.  Lincoln County Deputy Ernie Redford said during the preliminary hearing that "the grandfather came to the Sheriff's office to report him (Shepherd) missing and his home burglarized at about 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday."  Redford said Spilman "advised that his grandson had done it."  Robert Frazier, who resides next door to Spilman, said he reported that his residence was also vandalized on Wednesday.  A .22 pistol and holster were stolen after burglars gained entry through the front door.

He stated that Shepherd was a very well behaved boy, who always minded his grandfather.  Frazier said he had even planned to hire him as part time help around his farm.  Melvin Berg, who lives near Shepherd, testified that his home was also ransacked and burglarized Wednesday evening, minutes before he and his wife, Ruby, arrived home from work at about 5:15 p. m.  He stated he spotted two males near his residence, one of whom was wearing a coat which allegedly belonged to Mrs. Bert.  A Colt AR-15 was reported stolen from his truck parked on the driveway, as well as .223 ammunition, a buck hunting knife, a stiletto knife and a jean jacket.  The burglars broke the back patio door as well as threw eggs in the house and vandalized the residence, he said.  Undersheriff Cook said the suspects, apparently after allegedly robbing from the houses, practiced shooting the weapons.  They then allegedly sat down and debated about how they would steal Johnson's truck.  According to Brixey, Shepherd watched by the side of the road for cars while the 15 year old hid in the bushes and waited for Johnson who was feeding livestock behind his residence.  He was shot from approximately 60 feet away above the right eye as he walked out the barn door, Brixey said.  The two then dragged his body to the pickup but were unable to lift him in the truck.  They then proceeded to put his body in the cellar, Bixey said.

After several attempts to contact Johnson at his home, Cook and Deputy Barrett became suspicious.  Several neighbors were questioned, but did not know his whereabouts.  Johnson's wife, Ginger, is a registered nurse at St. Anthony's Hospital in Oklahoma City.  She was at work at the time of the incident, as she stays overnight at a dormitory near the hospital when shifts are long.  She arrived home early Friday morning and became worried when she could not find her husband.  When Cook and Barrett arrived about 9:30 a. m. Friday, they spotted a baseball cap hanging near the storm cellar.  The ground and cellar was covered with snow and Mrs. Johnson said she found the hat lying in the snow.  After searching the area and finding the body in the cellar, the sheriff's office immediately contacted Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to assist.  Mike Collins, investigator in charge, arrived on the scene a short time later with six other agents.  First degree murder holds three possible sentences, including life - life without parole and the death penalty, Roberson said.  This is the first time in the history of Lincoln County that I am aware of that a juvenile has been charged with murder, Cook said.

Funeral services for Johnson, who was a horse trainer, were held Tuesday in Chandler.  (Abstracted from the Davenport (Oklahoma) News, December 14, 1989, and The Lincoln County News, May 10, 1990.)