Editors Note: This article has been updated to reflect the arrest of Shevetra Mathis.
(UPDATE: January 23, 2024, 12:38 p.m.) — An arrest warrant was issued on Monday, January 4, 2024, in Tom Green County for a second woman police say was involved in the stabbing death of Jermaine Johnson on December 26th of last year.
Shevetra Mathis, 25, is currently in custody in Tarrant County. Affidavits filed in Tom Green County say that Gasca and Mathis both stabbed Johnson before he later died.
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage, January 22, 10:40 a.m.) — A San Angelo woman was arrested on Friday for a stabbing with a ‘prison shank’ that resulted in the death of an individual in December.
Ebony Gasca, 26, was arrested for the alleged murder of her boyfriend Jermaine Johnson, and booked in the Tom Green County Detention Center on January 19.
According to court records filed in Tom Green County, the investigation began on December 26, 2023, after San Angelo police officers responded to the 300 Blk of West 13th St. for an unknown problem.
When officers arrived on the scene they found Johnson, who was suffering from two stab wounds. First responders transported Johnson to Shannon Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries.
Records state that SAPD spoke with a resident who called 911. Detectives learned from the resident that she saw Johnson sitting at the end of the driveway in front of the residence, “sitting in an upright position struggling to breathe.”
When detectives spoke with Gasca, it was learned that Gasca and her boyfriend, Johnson, had gotten into a verbal altercation. The altercation continued in a black Ford Fusion as the two traveled to Dollar General. While in the sedan, the altercation became physical after Johnson hit Gasca in the face. “The defendant, in return, struck the victim in his face with an open hand,” documents state. Gasca stated that the altercation continued in Dollar General and the two soon returned to the residence on West 13th Street.
Records report that while at the residence, Johnson took Gasca’s phone out of her hands through the car window and refused to return it. Gasca shared with detectives that she got out of the Ford Fusion with a homemade knife, which she referred to as a ‘prison shank,’ and put it in her left pocket.
Gasca told SAPD that as she went to retrieve her phone, Johnson began to fight her and put her into a chokehold. She further shared that she stabbed Johnson two times before he let her go.
While in a chokehold, Gasca said Shevetra Mathis came out of the residence in the 300 Blk of West 13th St. to help her and “stabbed the victim.”
SAPD detectives interviewed Mathis. During the interview, it was learned that Gasca and Johnson were in a physical altercation and watched Johnson place Gasca in a chokehold. In response to this, Mathis shared she had retrieved a knife from the household and stabbed Johnson in the chest one time. After Mathis stabbed the victim, she recalled pushing Johnson. Mathis did not call law enforcement after the stabbing and spoke with Gasca over the phone after she left the scene.
After Johnson was stabbed, Gasca picked up her phone and left the scene in her car, according to court records. Gasca did not call law enforcement but did make several calls to others stating that Johnson was stabbed.
Detectives assessed Gasca but did not find any discoloration or abrasions that were consistent with the physical altercation. However, a lump on the left side of Gasca’s head was found. Gasca shared with detectives that Johnson hit her in the head with her phone. Damage to the phone was observed by detectives.
SAPD Crime Scene Investigators took photographs of Gasca and entered them through Secure Digital Forensic Imaging. While observing the photographs in SCDFI, CSI did not see any deep tissue bruising that is invisible to the naked eye on Gasca’s face, neck, chest or eyes.
Detectives interviewed two people who were called by Gasca after the stabbing took place.
A friend of Gasca’s shared with law enforcement that they received a phone call from Gasca stating she had stabbed Johnson two times and left the scene. Gasca went to the friend’s apartment approximately five to ten minutes later in a panic, asking if she could change her clothes. Detectives located the shirt Gasca wore and found a tear in the front of it. Court records report Graves took Gasca back to the scene in the black Ford Fusion and then returned home.
Detectives spoke with the brother of the victim, who shared he received six phone calls from Gasca. He said he returned the phone call and learned from Gasca that she had stabbed his brother after being in a physical altercation.
Video surveillance from Dollar General was retrieved by detectives. Footage showed Gasca and Johnson had arrived in a black Ford Fusion at around 6:06 p.m. December 26. Both individuals can be seen entering the store at the 2900 Blk of North Chadbourne St. Detectives did not see the two in a verbal or physical altercation inside the store.
The medical examiner’s officer sent photographs for detectives to review. In these pictures, Johnson had various injuries throughout his body, including a stab wound to his right hip, left abdomen, chest and bottom lip. Several abrasions were also observed on the victim’s right elbow, fingers on the right hand, and a gash on the right side of his head and abdomen area.
Telephone evidence was obtained by law enforcement for Mathis’ phone. In the phone, video evidence showed Johnson taking his clothes off, being aggressive and yelling at Gasca. A physical altercation did not happen within the video recording.
A warrant for Gasca’s arrest was issued on Jan. 4, 2024. Gasca was booked into the Tom Green County Detention Center for murder and has a bond set at $500,000. Gasca was previously charged with Capias Pro Fine on Sept. 3, 2023.
