APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS CONVICTION IN MILAM CO. MURDER

  

A Somerville man, convicted in the death of a Milam County woman, has had his conviction confirmed by the 14th Court of Appeals in Houston.

40-year John Wayne Stewart, was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge in connection with the January 2017 death of Emily Hacker.

Stewart received an 18-years prison sentence on the second-degree felony charge.  Stewart pleaded guilty as part of a plea agreement.

Four others have been sentenced to prison for their parts in the murder, including 33-year old Edward Brannon Barry of Caldwell and 33-year old Candice Jones, who were each sentenced to 50 years behind bars on first-degree murder charges.

Hacker, 34, was reported missing on January 19 of 2017.  She was found about 10 days later her burned and beaten body was found in a shallow grave in the Lyons area.