Grisly murder details emerge

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Contact staff writer Christin Coyne at ccoyne@weatherforddemocrat.com.

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J.D. Doss, 24, of Weatherford, was allegedly killed at a Springtown residence by Nicholas David Camfield, who authorities say struck Doss numerous times with a pickaxe. Courtesy
Nicholas Camfield PCSO/Courtesy

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January 20, 2013

Grisly murder details emerge

Anonymous Weatherford Democrat The Weatherford Democrat Sun Jan 20, 2013, 06:30 AM CST

By CHRISTIN COYNE

Murder suspect Nicholas David Camfield reportedly told investigators he used a pickaxe to kill a sleeping man who was visiting Camfield because “voices in his head” were telling him to do it.

Camfield, 24, proceeded to scalp and mutilate the body of 24-year-old John “J.D.” Daniel Doss II over the course of four days before Parker County Sheriff’s deputies arrived, Texas Ranger Anthony Bradford wrote in his probable cause affidavit charging Camfield with first-degree murder.

A friend of Doss became concerned that he had not been able to contact Doss in four days and went to a residence in the 200 block of Valley Meadows Drive in northeast Parker Couty, where Camfield was housesitting for a man who was out of town, according to authorities.

There, the friend told deputies he saw that Camfield had what appeared to be blood on himself and what appeared to be a person covered up in a bed.

Doss’ friend reportedly went back to his own residence and contacted the Parker County Sheriff’s Office.

When deputies entered the residence around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday and went into the master bedroom, they found Doss’ body with “obvious trauma to the head area,” Bradford wrote.

The sheriff’s office reported that they found Camfield covered in blood inside the residence, as well.

Camfield later told investigators that he had been staying at the residence since Jan. 12, when Doss came to the house and they drank beer together until Doss fell asleep, according to Bradford.

“Camfield stated after Doss fell asleep, Camfield retrieved a pickaxe from an outbuilding and hit Doss approximately six times in the head with the pickaxe,” Bradford wrote. “Camfield stated he did this because he was ‘afraid’ and the ‘voices in his head’ were telling him to do it. Camfield further admitted that he scalped and otherwise mutilated Doss’ body over the next four days before arrival of PCSO deputies.”

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office had not released a finding on the cause of death as of Saturday morning.

Camfield has been arrested at least eight other times since 2008 on charges that include public intoxication, traffic warrants, driving while intoxicated, and stealing or recieving stolen checks, according to Parker County Jail records.

During the most recent previous arrest on charges of public intoxication and resisting arrest in May, a Weatherford police officer responding to a suspicious person call determined that Camfield appeared to have “mental issues” and initially released him.

However, as Camfield was walking down Fort Worth Highway, the officer wrote that he observed Camfield urinate in public and contacted Camfield’s mother to pick him up. However, Camfield refused to go with her and began to flee police, before slipping and then struggling with officers, according to Weatherford police.

“[Camfield] violently and brutally took my baby’s life and just left him alone to die, then had the gall to steal his vehicle, phone, & other possessions without a second thought to the precious baby he left lying alone!!!!” Doss’ mother, Debora Mann, wrote on the Democrat’s Facebook page Friday.

Doss was an apprentice lineman, a member of North Side Baptist Church and loved fishing, woodworking and martial arts, according to his obituary.

In an online Facebook memorial page, several of Doss’ friends remembered him as a good friend who kept those around him laughing.

Camfield remains in Parker County Jail under $1 million bond.