Naman Shrestha
One of the crime stories that ‘Real Time Crime: Warpath’ profiles is that of a criminal gunman named Jeremiah Stevenson, who had laid out a handwritten plan to go on a criminal spree in the coming days and months. In 2020, Jeremiah was tracked down by the police with the help of surveillance cameras in Fort Worth, Texas, and stopped him from completing the things in his horrific kill manifesto. The episode gives us a detailed account of the crimes he indulged in and the victims he affected before he was finally handcuffed.
Who is Jeremiah Stevenson?
The 39-year-old Jeremiah Stevenson was allegedly diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and used to live with his grandmother. He claimed that his PTSD was so severe that certain high-stress situations could cause him to black out and lose touch with himself. On the morning of May 5, 2020, the city of Fort Worth saw two shootings and an attempted carjacking, leaving behind injured women on East Berry Street.
The first shooting was the result of an attempted carjacking at around 5:15 am at 700 East Berry Street. The suspect reportedly instructed a 57-year-old woman outside of a McDonald’s to give up her car and when she refused, he shot her on the shoulder. She was immediately rushed to the hospital. Around 10:10 am, the second shooting was reported around 900 East Berry Street. It involved a 59-year-old woman who was shot in the arm with a small-caliber bullet while she was pumping gasoline. Fortunately, the wound wasn’t that fatal as she was treated at the scene of the crime.
Another attempted carjacking case, but without any shots fired, was reported in the same morning at 3500 Miller Avenue. Since all three crimes took place in south Fort Worth, the police suspected that a single individual might be responsible. The investigators followed the trail of clues and with the help of surveillance cameras, they found 39-year-old Jeremiah Stevenson as the responsible criminal and arrested him on suspicion of aggravated robbery and shooting a woman outside of a McDonald’s. Further reports suggested that Jeremiah even went to a Valero store to demand some money. He shot and missed the clerk but took the cash from the register along with a pack of cigarettes.
In his defense, Jeremiah claimed that he and his grandmother had gotten into an argument, during which she told him to leave her home. The stress of the situation, according to him, made him black out and the next thing he knew, he woke up in the woods and began walking down some railway tracks, where the police apprehended him. Maintaining his innocence, Jeremiah testified that he had no recollection of the crimes he committed. However, while going through Jeremiah’s belongings, the authorities found a piece of paper in his wallet that had a list consisting of the criminal objectives he had set for himself, including robbing, switching license plates, and robbing banks.
While in custody at the Lon Evans Corrections Center in Fort Worth, Jeremiah used a fire extinguisher and hose to escape from a fifth-floor window in the early hours of December 1, 2020. Making the most of the hose, he managed to climb down the outside wall but just after about 20 minutes, he was captured by the authorities. Reportedly, Jeremiah suffered a few injuries during his escape attempt so before taking him back into custody, he was taken to a hospital. Due to his escape attempt, Jeremiah was likely to receive additional charges.
Where is Jeremiah Stevenson Now?
During the trial, Jeremiah Stevenson testified in his own defense by telling the court about his PTSD and how it could cause him to “act and perform complex actions and commit crimes…in rare instances.” Despite the arguments of the defendant, the jury found him guilty of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. Thus, in October 2021, Jeremiah was sentenced to life in prison for the same charge. Following his conviction and sentencing, the convict appealed them but the court rejected his appeals. At present, the 42-year-old criminal is serving his sentence in the H. H. Coffield Unit at 2661 FM2054 in Tennessee Colony, Texas, while waiting to be eligible for parole in May 2050.
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