In 2015, Garland grandma Janet Vanderslice was murdered, leading to David Wade McDermett’s arrest. According to court documents, the matter has been postponed for more than 30 court sessions without a trial.
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David McDermett was accused of murdering 71-year-old Janet Vanderslice inside her Garland home in 2014.
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His murder trial was delayed 30 times over nearly a decade and cost Dallas County more than $1.5 million in special prosecutor fees.
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His case finally up on Tuesday morning after he accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to 10 years of probation.
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David McDermett was accused of murdering 71-year-old Janet Vanderslice inside her Garland home in 2014.
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His murder trial was delayed 30 times over nearly a decade and cost Dallas County more than $1.5 million in special prosecutor fees.
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His case finally up on Tuesday morning after he accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to 10 years of probation.
DallasThis week, a plea agreement brought an end to a murder case that had been postponed numerous times for almost ten years.
In July 2014, Janet Vanderslice, 71, was discovered dead from a stab wound in her Garland residence.
Vanderslice, Janet
Police were able to identify the suspect, David Wade McDermett, thanks to security cameras.
She hired him as a handyman to fix the roof.
Although McDermett was charged with the murder in 2015, the prosecution languished due to court disturbances brought on by the pandemic, a recusal by the district attorney’s office, and numerous counsel changes.
The case’s special prosecutors sent Dallas County invoices totaling over $1.5 million over a ten-year period.
On Tuesday, McDermett entered a guilty plea to manslaughter and agreed to a 10-year probationary period.
Vanderslice’s son, who had previously complained about the trial’s delays, told the judge how he felt.
Dallas County murder suspect arrested in 2015 still has not faced trial
In April 2015, David Wade McDermett was taken into custody on suspicion of killing Janet Vanderslice, 71. The case has yet to proceed to trial despite 20 postponed court dates and a changing roster of attorneys.
“What it does, it sends a signal to the community at whole that a heinous act such as was committed can be met with only token consequences,” said David Vanderslice.
During his probationary period, McDermett will have to spend two days in jail annually on the victim’s birthday and the day of the murder.
Since 2017, he has been released on a personal recognition bond.
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This story’s material is based on previous news coverage and David McDermett’s plea hearing.
This story’s material is based on previous news coverage and David McDermett’s plea hearing.
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