SULPHUR SPRINGS, Texas — A Hopkins County jury has convicted a man in a decades-old murder case and sentenced him to life in prison, bringing closure to a case that remained unsolved for nearly 30 years.
Eighth Judicial District Attorney Will Ramsay announced that William “Bill” Doyle Magness was found guilty of murder in the 1996 shooting death of Geraldine Blackmon. The jury also assessed the maximum fine of $10,000.
The case dates back to just after midnight on March 13, 1996, when authorities responded to a 911 call from Billy Blackmon reporting that his wife had been shot at their home on County Road 3517. Geraldine Blackmon was found deceased, having been shot in the back with what investigators determined was a high-powered rifle.
Magness, a neighbor of the Blackmons, also called 911 that night claiming his home had been shot from the road. Investigators later found Magness’ flashlight at the crime scene. Evidence collected included a bullet core and jacket, and authorities determined the fatal shot came from a .30-caliber firearm. At the time, Magness owned a Thompson Center rifle system with interchangeable barrels but was not known to possess a .30-caliber barrel.
The case remained unsolved until the spring of 2025, when investigators revisited the evidence. Hopkins County investigators, along with a Texas Ranger, traveled to Magness’ home in Midlothian, where he consented to a search and showed officers his firearms. During that visit, Magness revealed a previously unknown .308 barrel, which was seized and sent for testing.
According to prosecutors, ballistic analysis later confirmed the barrel matched the bullet recovered from the 1996 murder. Magness was arrested July 8, 2025.
During the trial, jurors heard testimony about evidence recovered over the years, including a journal in which Magness allegedly wrote about being able to get away with crimes. Additional testimony came from former spouses and others who described prior incidents and threats.
The jury returned a guilty verdict in less than 20 minutes.
During the punishment phase, prosecutors presented additional testimony regarding Magness’ past conduct. The jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes before returning a sentence of life imprisonment.
“This is a day that very easily could have never happened without the dedication and hard work of the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office,” Ramsay said. “Ultimately, there were 10,986 days that passed between Geraldine’s death and Bill Magness’s life sentence, but the long arm of justice held fast.”
Officials credited investigators and witnesses for helping bring the decades-old case to a resolution.
