Stafford, Texas, detectives issued an arrest warrant for 51-year-old Jody Johnston on Dec. 22 — the 22nd anniversary of the discovery of her husband, Jerry Don Humphrey, who was found shot in his bedroom on Dec. 22, 2003. The arrest-warrant affidavit alleges Johnston arranged the killing, and investigators say they uncovered nearly $400,000 in additional life-insurance policies naming her as beneficiary. A former employee, Angel Amescua Jr., was arrested in 2020 and has pleaded not guilty; his trial is expected in April 2026. Johnston was ordered held on a $750,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 2, 2026.
Wife Arrested 22 Years After Husband Was Found Shot Days Before Christmas in Texas 'Cold Case'
Stafford Police Department, Texas/Facebook; Findagrave.com; Stafford Police Department, Texas/Facebook;Jody Johnston mugshot; Jerry Don Humphrey; Angel Amescua mugshot
Authorities in Stafford, Texas, say they have arrested a woman more than two decades after her husband was found dead in their home just days before Christmas. Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for 51-year-old Jody Johnston on Dec. 22 — the 22nd anniversary of the discovery of her husband, Jerry Don Humphrey, who was found with fatal gunshot wounds in his bedroom on Dec. 22, 2003.
Allegations From The Arrest Warrant
According to the arrest-warrant affidavit released by the Stafford Police Department, Humphrey, then 40, suffered three gunshot wounds to the head. His father-in-law, John Dewitt Gray, found him unresponsive and called 911 after Johnston had asked him to wake her husband.
Investigators say their long-running probe led them back to Johnston, and the affidavit alleges she employed Angel Amescua Jr. or another person to kill Humphrey in exchange for money. Amescua, a former employee whom Humphrey had fired, was previously arrested in March 2020 and has pleaded not guilty; online court records show his trial is expected to begin on April 7, 2026.
Stafford police described the recent arrest as the result of continued detective work in what they called a "Christmas Cold Case."
Evidence and Motive Described
The affidavit cites interviews with family members and acquaintances who reported prior domestic abuse allegations and statements attributed to Johnston suggesting she felt trapped in the marriage. Investigators also reviewed financial motives: Johnston reportedly told police the couple had only a single $100,000 policy taken out to secure a business loan, but detectives later discovered four additional life insurance policies naming her as beneficiary with a combined value near $400,000.
Johnston has been ordered held on a $750,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 2, 2026, according to public records. It was not immediately clear whether she had retained legal counsel who could comment on the allegations. Amescua’s attorney could also not be reached for comment.
Note on Reporting: These are allegations described in the arrest warrant and public statements by investigators. The charges are accusations; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
