Just hours after the Tarrant County medical examiner ruled on his cause of death Monday, two men were charged with capital murder in connection with the death of the Rev. Clint Dobson.
Dobson, who was killed last Thursday in his Arlington church during a robbery, died from suffocation with a plastic bag, the Tarrant County medical examiner said Monday afternoon.
Dobson was working at NorthPointe Baptist Church with co-worker Judy Elliott when someone attacked them, killing Dobson and critically injuring Elliott. After a family member had been unable to reach them, someone went by the church to check on the welfare of Elliott and Dobson. Inside, they found Dobson dead and Elliott clinging to life.
In a news conference Monday, police said they received multiple tips Friday that led to the arrests of two people, Steven Lawayne Nelson and Anthony Gregory Springs.
According to the affidavit, which you can read in its entirety here, two women came forward and told police that they believed Nelson and Springs were responsible for Dobson's death.
The women told police that the pair arrived at a friend's residence where they were all hanging out. When a TV report aired about the slaying, the men began "laughing and making inappropriate comments about Dobson's death."
When confronted about their behavior, Springs produced an item he claimed belonged to Dobson, the women said. The women later reached out to investigators with their suspicions.
Meanwhile, investigators were researching transactions made with the victim's credit cards.
Closed-circuit surveillance video show both Springs and Nelson making purchases with Elliott's credit cards at several stores and kiosks at the Parks mall earlier in the day.
On Saturday morning, Springs was located and arrested on outstanding parking tickets.
During an interview, he told police that Nelson picked him up at a gas station after he committed the theft, killing and beating. He said they then went to the mall.
Springs told police where they could find Elliott's missing car, and investigators held him as the unnamed person of interest in the investigation.
That afternoon, Nelson was arrested by members of the Arlington Police Department’s Fugitive Unit and the DFW Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (DFW FAST).
Despite Springs' statement, investigators say they believe both men were present at the church at the time of the robbery and Dobson's slaying.
Police said both Nelson and Springs have been charged with capital murder and attempted capital murder.
Nelson is being held on $1 million bail. Springs' bail is set at $150,900.
Rev. Clint Dobson's Funeral Information
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Dobson's funeral will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Arlington, which is located at 300 South Center St. Visitation for family and friends will be at the Wade Funeral Home on Tuesday between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the following:
The Truett Seminary Memorial Fund in honor of Clint Dobson
Truett Seminary
One Bear Place #97126
Waco, Texas 76798-7126
or to:
Living Water International
P.O. Box 35496
Houston, Texas 77235
