A Tarrant County judge has ruled a Fort Worth man not guilty by reason of insanity in the firewood beating death of a delivery driver, clearing a murder indictment but sending the defendant into the state hospital system while the victim's family looked on in anguish.
The decision, handed down yesterday, means 29-year-old Chrisantus Omondi will leave the county jail and enter a secure psychiatric facility as doctors evaluate and treat him for a severe mental illness tied to the killing of 51-year-old Scott Jackson on Jan. 13, 2024. Jackson was delivering firewood when he was fatally attacked, and his relatives reacted emotionally in court after the judge announced the ruling.
Judge Accepts Insanity Plea And Orders Hospital Transfer
Judge Vincent Giardino accepted an agreement between prosecutors and defense lawyers and entered the insanity-based acquittal, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Giardino then ordered that Omondi be moved out of jail and into the state hospital system while medical and safety assessments are carried out.
How The Attack Unfolded
The killing happened on Jan. 13, 2024, in the 3900 block of Wendover Drive when Jackson arrived in a U-Haul to drop off wood, investigators say. Witness statements and an arrest affidavit say Omondi, who was naked at the scene, told people he had a key to the house, then grabbed a piece of firewood and struck Jackson in the head while the homeowner tried to stop him, as reported by WFAA.
Family Remembers Jackson
Jackson's daughter, Kacey DeLeon, described her father as generous and said he worked deliveries on the side to make extra money before breaking into tears in court after the ruling. "Just don't take anybody else's loved one," DeLeon said in an off-the-record address, as reported by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Mental-Health Finding
Court filings show a forensic psychologist retained for Omondi concluded that a severe mental disease or defect left him unable to understand that his conduct was wrong. That report was filed under seal, according to reporting by WFAA. The judge ordered that Omondi be committed to the state hospital system for evaluation and treatment pending further review.
What An Insanity Acquittal Means In Texas
Texas law requires a court to commit a person found not guilty by reason of insanity for evaluation and treatment and limits the total period of commitment to the maximum term for the offense. A person may be discharged if they prove by a preponderance of the evidence that they no longer have a severe mental illness or are not likely to cause serious harm, according to the state's Code of Criminal Procedure. Judges and hospital review boards oversee transfers from secure units to less restrictive care and ultimately any request to end court supervision, according to Texas law.
