Suspect In Murder Of UNT Student Won't Fight Extradition
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DENTON (CBS11) - The U.S. Marine accused of murdering a UNT student decided to waive extradition and avoid a battle in court.
Late Thursday afternoon Denton police told CBS11 they're working on returning Eric Jamal Johnson back to Texas right now. But it's clear he won't be back here until next week.
Johnson traded his military uniform for an orange jail uniform as he made an appearance in an Arizona courtroom. Johnson signed off on being returned to Texas without a legal fight. Denton police were already planning to go get Johnson whether there was a court battle or not.
"Either way, whether he waves it or we have to go to a court hearing before that, at that point we have to arrange to get him back," said Officer Shane Kizer said. "And more than likely we would go to the Denton County Sheriffs Department to get that arranged."
Johnson is accused of shooting and killing Sara Mutchlechner as she and her friends drive away from a New Year's party.
Mutchlechner was buried in her hometown of San Marcos today. She was remembered as an outgoing person, find of the arts with a desire to one day travel to Japan to teach English.
Police tell us even as Johnson was waiving extradition, Denton police, Texas Rangers and U.S. marshals are still busy in Arizona collecting evidence to bring to trial.
"There has been evidentiary value of them being there and there are some more things that have helped them to put this case together," Kizer said. "The details of which with the details of what they've been able to collect obviously, we're not going to release those details at this time."
Johnson will still have to make an appearance in an Arizona court on Monday before he's released into the custody of Texas officers.
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