A BLOODY OCTOBER DAY NEAR WHITE ROCK LAKE

Two homicides in one October day rocked our neighborhood. Zoe Hastings, an 18-year-old Lake Highlands resident and 2014 Booker T. Washington High School graduate, was found dead alongside the family minivan in the 11700 block of Dixfield the morning of Monday, Oct. 12. Hastings’ parents reported her missing when she did not show up for a missionary class at the family’s Mormon church that Sunday night. Police reported that Hastings died of “obvious homicidal violence,” although no suspect had been arrested as of press time. Police say Hastings may have been at Walgreens on Peavy between 4:30 and 5 p.m. Sunday, and they are looking at surveillance video. She was the eldest of five children and daughter to a teacher at Merriman Park Elementary school. Oak Farms has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for Hastings’ death. Anyone with information is asked to call the Homicide Unit 214.671.3584.

In an unrelated crime, police say a marathon runner, 53-year-old David Stevens, was stabbed to death with a machete on the White Rock Creek Trail near Harry Moss

Park at about 8 a.m. Oct. 12. Multiple trail users witnessed the homicide, and a former Texas A&M University football player and Skyline High School graduate, 21-year-old Thomas Johnson, admitted to killing Stevens. Johnson, who has a documented history of bizarre behavior, told police he he was angry. “It appears Mr. Johnson picked this victim at random. Absolutely random,” Deputy Chief Rob Sherwin said at a press conference. Stevens’ wife, Patti, wrote in a statement that she is “devastated with the loss of such a wonderful man” and requested privacy for her family.