(Editor’s note: The following story contains language that may be difficult for some readers and may be upsetting to sexual assault victims. It is the Citizen’s policy that victims of sexual assault are not identified in stories.)
The long-awaited trial for John David Trice, a former retired Stephenville ISD teacher, on the charges of seven counts of sexual abuse of a child began Monday, Jan. 22 and involves a group of underage male victims.
Trice taught sixth grade science at Stephenville ISD for decades before retiring in 1994.
Trice was arrested on the charges Aug. 2, 2022, and indicted June 14, 2023, on one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, four counts of indecency with a child, one count of sexual assault of a child and one count of sexual performance of a child.
The seven counts are being tried under one indictment during this week’s trial.
After impaneling a jury of 12 – containing only three men – on Monday, Jan. 22, the trial began in the 266th Judicial District Court with Judge Jason Cashon.
District Attorney Alan Nash told jurors in his opening remarks that the case would include a heavy subject matter and that the trial would be much like a puzzle, unfolding a complete picture piece by piece.
However, due to time lapsed since the alleged offenses, Nash warned, it might be like an old puzzle that is missing some pieces like specific dates, locations or clothing worn.
“You can still see what the picture is going to be,” he said.
Nash walked the jury through some of the testimony that would come from the victim that first outcried – a 14-year old boy – that worked for Trice on his ranch in Lingleville.
“Trice can’t remember what he did with him, when he’s confronted with it,” Nash said. “Could anyone ever forget doing those things or not doing those things?”
Nash implored the jury to look and listen to the victims carefully as they took the stand. All four victims are expected to testify during the trial.
“What would it take for these young men, well men now, to come before 12 jurors, a judge, a gallery and a prosecutor?” he said. “Think about what it would be like to take that stand and describe sexual experiences from one’s youth that no one should ever have to talk about or experience.”
Defense Attorney David Stokes reserved his opening statement for the defense portion of the trial.
Nash called his first witness Texas Ranger B.J. Hill to the stand on Tuesday, Jan. 23. Ranger Hill stated he became involved in the case when the first victim’s father who is a retired law enforcement called him, and stated he thought his boys were sexually abused by Trice.
Hill said at that point he stated he must have a victim and they were encouraged to reach out to him to come forward.
In March 2022, the first victim came to talk to him and then later his brother, another victim, also came forward.
“At this point the investigation was opened,” Hill explained.
Since 15 years had lapsed since the alleged crime, Hill explained that there would no longer be any forensic evidence such as DNA that might be gathered in a traditional sexual assault case through a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) exam. These exams must be done within 120 hours to collect forensic evidence, Hill said.
Jurors heard the audio recording from a controlled call between the first victim and the defendant and then an audio recording of an in-person meeting that occurred later on between the two. Both the call and the meeting were done without Trice’s knowledge that he was being recorded.
During the course of the two audio recordings, the first victim stated repeatedly that someone had been asking questions about what happened at the ranch and that he was seeking advice on what he should tell them.
“Do you want me to ignore them or tell them what happened?” the first victim asked Trice on the recording.
Trice repeatedly stated he didn’t remember what occurred.
“I’m really surprised about all this,” Trice was heard saying on the phone recording.
Nash then walked the jury through years of bank statements where Trice paid boys for labor and these bank records allowed Hill to uncover the names of two additional victims that made outcries when interviewed.
“I approached them, they did not come to me,” Hill stated during testimony.
Due to the length of time since the alleged offenses, no bank records were recovered for payment for victim number one and two.
During the in-person meeting set for June 30, 2022, many topics were discussed between the first victim and Trice, including the fact that the victim was getting married in the next week.
“I don’t remember touching either one of you,” Trice said in the recording. “I don’t know why or where did this come up. I truly don’t remember.”
The trial will continue throughout the week and a recap will be included in next week’s edition of The Dublin Citizen.