Witness points to Chaka Johnson as shooter
Lampasas man's attorney emphasizes lack of DNA links, other physical evidence
By DAVID LOWE Staff Writer

PHOTO BY DAVID LOWE Chaka Johnson, center, leaves the Lampasas County Courthouse with his attorney, Eddie Shell, left. Witnesses were still testifying in the capital murder trial at press time Thursday. Also shown is court bailiff Cody Reed.

A witness Thursday claimed Lampasan Chaka Romain Johnson participated in the July 4, 2007 shooting of Hidi Gower, although no physical evidence in the capital murder trial has provided a link to Johnson.

Johnson's attorney, Eddie Shell of Burnet, at press time Thursday had just finished cross-examining Jeremiah John Ellison, arrested last summer in connection with the death of Mrs. Gower.

Ellison bonded out of jail in October and has not been indicted.

Johnson faces an automatic life sentence without possibility of parole if the jury of eight women and four men finds him guilty.

Ellison testified Wednesday afternoon that Johnson traveled on July 4 with him, Mrs. Gower's husband, Donald Gower -- suspected of organizing the murder-for-hire of his wife - - and John Robert Martinez to plan the shooting at the Kempner Veterans of Foreign Wars post. When Ellison told Martinez on July 3 of Gower's murder plot, Martinez said he would like to participate in the murder but needed a helper, Ellison testified.

The next day, Ellison told Johnson of Martinez's plans, and Johnson asked to meet with Martinez, Ellison said.

Martinez remains in jail on a $1 million bond for his suspected involvement in the crime.

Ellison, sitting in the back passenger-side seat of Martinez's girlfriend's blue Buick sedan, heard Martinez - - the driver - - ask Johnson if he could run to the intersection of Boys Ranch Road and Quail Creek. Johnson said he could, and Martinez suggested Johnson hide among a cluster of bushes at the intersection.

Ellison told Lampasas County and District Attorney Larry Allison, prosecutor in the case, the conversation convinced him Johnson had agreed to shoot Mrs. Gower in the VFW parking lot and flee to the point where Martinez would pick him up.

Before driving to the VFW post around dusk on July 4, Johnson and Martinez asked for a dark hooded sweatshirt to cover the white undershirt and white Tshirt Johnson was wearing, Ellison testified. Johnson and Martinez took Ellison to the Gowers' residence, where Ellison had been living for about three weeks.

There, Ellison gave Johnson a blue hooded shirt with a West Coast Choppers logo and a pair of size 12, white K-Swiss tennis shoes.

Regina Edwards, who was with Johnson at various times July 4, testified that when Johnson and Martinez left her home that night about 8:20, Johnson was wearing Texas Longhorn flip-flops, dark blue wind pants, a white undershirt and a white T-shirt. All the clothes appeared clean, she said.

When Johnson returned about 9:50 p.m., he had mud on his hands, around his waist, on his ankles and splattered on both legs.

When Ms. Edwards asked Johnson why his feet were not muddy, he told her Ellison had given him a black hooded sweatshirt and some shoes, Ms. Edwards testified.

"He was getting irritated with me," she said of Johnson's reaction to the questions. "He told me to quit asking so many [expletive] questions."

Investigators never found the blue sweatshirt on Johnson, attorney Shell said Tuesday, nor did they search Johnson's grandmother's home in Lampasas, where the defendant was living in July 2007. Investigators also never searched Johnson's grandmother's or Regina Edwards' home for the K-Swiss shoes, the defense lawyer said.

Ellison's 1.5-page statement July 5, 2007, to authorities did not mention Johnson.

In a nine-page statement given Oct. 15, Ellison provided details of Johnson's alleged involvement in the shooting. Ellison was in jail at the time, and Shell argued Thursday that in jail Ellison began to fear the death penalty and changed his story to suggest Johnson shot Ms. Gower.

Shell argued Wednesday that Ms. Edwards had lied repeatedly during statements to Texas Ranger Jesse Ramos and Lampasas County Sheriff's Investigator David Thorpe.

Shell also emphasized contradictions in Ms. Edwards' testimony, such as her claim that she dropped her son off at the West Fort Hood exit before leaving home for an Independence Day fireworks show. Ms. Edwards later stated she dropped off her son on the way to the fireworks after she had returned home to change clothes.

Although Ms. Edwards said she had no idea Gower was plotting to have his wife murdered, Shell argued that text messages recovered through a warrant and subpoena indicate she and Gower were engaged in a sexual relationship and had discussed plans for the murder.

In his testimony Tuesday, Ramos confirmed Donald Gower and Ms. Edwards were "lovers," and Shell on Wednesday read multiple cell phone text messages from both parties that said "I love you."

Ms. Edwards testified Gower told her numerous times he wanted his wife dead, and when Gower told Ms. Edwards he wanted his wife shot at her workplace, an Alltel store in Temple, Ms. Edwards told him she was sure the store had surveillance cameras behind it.

During Shell's cross-examination Wednesday, Ms. Edwards said she recognized a July 2 text message from Donald Gower telling her, "I got you. It probably will be Tuesday. ...The [expletive] will be out of the way real soon."

Shell said this indicated Ms. Edwards knew of and assisted Gower with his plans to have his wife murdered.

Ms. Edwards said the message in question related to a rent payment she and Gower were discussing.

On Tuesday, Ramos testified that Ms. Edwards told him she had sexual relations with Chaka Johnson on July 1. During crossexamination Wednesday, Shell read a message Ms. Edwards sent Gower on July 2, telling him, "If you're worried about Chaka, you have no need to."

The message, Shell said, indicates Johnson and Ms. Edwards had slept together and that Ms. Edwards worried Gower would be upset.

Ms. Edwards testified that Gower once pointed a shotgun at her face.

Shell on Tuesday said no physical evidence links Johnson to the murder. Samples obtained from the .45 caliber single-action revolver believed to be the murder weapon do not match Johnson's DNA, Ramos testified.

Investigators also did not find a DNA match for Johnson on a white towel used to wipe down the gun.

In addition, no physical evidence from the blue Buick allegedly used to transport the shooter indicates Johnson was in the vehicle July 4, Ramos said.

Ellison was not given a DNA test.

In their testimonies Wednesday morning, Steven Doyle and his wife, Sara Doyle, recalled seeing a dark-skinned male wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt walking down Boys Ranch Road about 8:30 or 9 p.m. on July 4.

The couple, who were dating at the time, were standing in Steven Doyle's driveway, about 60 yards from the man as he passed.

Doyle estimated the man he saw walking down the road stood slightly taller than 5 feet 9 inches. Shell measured his client at 6 feet 4 1/2 half inches. Doyle later testified he never saw the man standing fully uprright.

Doyle added he had no vertical frame of reference, other than cedar trees along Boys Ranch Road, to judge the height of the man he saw.

Johnson may not testify during the trial, his attorney announced earlier.