Appeals court upholds capital murder conviction, life prison term in 2022 shooting death of Waco landlord

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - Waco's 10th Court of Appeals has upheld the capital murder conviction and life prison term for a Dallas man who robbed and killed his landlord who had served an eviction notice on him in 2022. [KWTX-TV News 10]

A Dallas man convicted of fatally shooting his landlord during a 2022 robbery will remain imprisoned for life after an appellate court rejected his appeal, according to a ruling handed down by Waco's 10th Court of Appeals.

James Keylan Willis was found guilty of capital murder in the April 2025 death of Stanley Wilcox, a 59-year-old property owner. Chief Justice Matt Johnson authored the 17-page appellate opinion that dismissed Willis' four grounds for appeal following a trial in 19th State District Court. Since prosecutors Ryan Calvert and Vanessa Fuentes declined to pursue capital punishment, Willis received an automatic life sentence with no parole eligibility.

The case centered on events at Wilcox's Garrett Avenue residence, where Willis and his girlfriend had occupied a rental room for approximately four months. Court testimony revealed that Willis harbored evident hostility toward Wilcox after receiving an eviction notice. According to evidence presented at trial, Wilcox suffered multiple gunshot wounds including three shots to the head, one to the left thigh and one to the left hip. Police located his body near the Baylor University campus, where it had been wrapped in fabric and discarded in a creek bed.

Trial records indicated that A.J. Benson, employed at a McDonald's location in South Oak Cliff, facilitated the crime by providing the murder weapon. Video surveillance documented Benson passing a firearm to Willis and co-defendant Brandon Stephens through a drive-through window. Additional footage captured Willis returning the gun to Benson approximately five hours following Wilcox's death. Benson and Stephens, who accepted plea agreements to lesser offenses, received sentences of 30 years and life imprisonment, respectively.

Investigators and prosecutors suggested the gunshot wounds to Wilcox's left side constituted torture intended to coerce disclosure of his banking personal identification number. The discovery of Wilcox's remains followed a report from family members who noted his absence from Christmas celebrations.

Willis, who was 18 when the murder occurred, challenged his conviction on multiple grounds, asserting insufficient evidence supported the capital murder charge and claiming the trial judge erred in jury instructions. Willis also contended that imposing life imprisonment without parole on an "emerging adult" constituted a constitutional violation. The appellate court rejected each of his arguments.