William Gairrett Hagan, 74, of Nacogdoches, has been sentenced to five years in prison following his conviction for burglary of a habitation with intent to commit aggravated assault. The sentence, handed down by 420th Judicial District Court Judge Malcolm Bales, was the minimum allowed.
According to the Nacogdoches District Attorney’s Office, the incident occurred in May 2023. Hagan allegedly broke into his ex-partner’s home as she prepared for church. He reportedly parked his car out of sight, entered through a back door, and removed his shoes to avoid detection. He then confronted the woman in her bathroom, threatening to kill her and accusing her of lying.
The victim testified that she begged for her life. Hagan allegedly displayed a rifle loaded with three rounds, stating one was a warning shot, one was for her, and the last was for him. He also reportedly mentioned that he had considered going to the school where she worked to kill her there. Hagan allowed her to make a phone call, which she used to contact her son while simultaneously sending a 911 alert through an app. She stalled Hagan until officers arrived.
Upon arrival, officers took Hagan into custody. While handcuffed in the patrol car, he reportedly told officers that "next time there would be no warning, that he would kill her."
The district attorney's statement noted that the victim testified about previous incidents of violence by Hagan, including strangulation and striking her with objects. She expressed her belief that Hagan intended to kill her on May 7, 2023, and stated she continues to live in fear. To protect herself while Hagan was out on bond, she sold her home and changed her vehicle and addresses multiple times to avoid him.
The district attorney expressed disappointment with the minimum five-year sentence, stating, “a minimum sentence empowers Hagan and others like him to continue their abusive actions, which is detrimental to families in this community.” The DA also highlighted that "despite the defendant’s actions and threat to carry out violence at a local elementary school, several well-known persons in the community including Mayor Randy Johnson and Combat Shooting and Tactics Founder and Owner Paul Howe testified to the defendant’s ‘good moral character.’”
