Bio 

Alis Ben Johns was born on August 21, 1961, in the United States. By the mid-1990s, Johns was living in rural Missouri and associated with individuals who frequently gathered to drink alcohol. Court records indicate that he spent much of his time moving between friends' homes and properties in the region. During this period, he developed a friendship with Thomas Stewart, and the two men often socialized together.

Prior to the murder investigations, Johns had already accumulated a criminal history involving theft-related offenses and other violations. Court records later described him as a fugitive who spent months evading law enforcement while committing additional crimes.

Following his arrest, questions regarding his intellectual functioning became an important part of later legal proceedings. After his death sentence was affirmed on direct appeal, post-conviction proceedings resulted in a court finding that Johns was intellectually disabled. Because of that ruling, Missouri was prohibited from executing him under the United States Supreme Court's decision in Atkins v. Virginia. The State did not appeal that ruling, making it final.

As a result, although Johns was originally sentenced to death, he ultimately remained imprisoned under life sentences rather than facing execution.

Murder Story

The crime spree associated with Alis Ben Johns began on October 1, 1996, in Pulaski County, Missouri. That evening, Johns was with Thomas Stewart and Stewart's girlfriend, Deborah Tedder. All three had been drinking heavily. Earlier in the day, Stewart and Tedder had argued, and tensions continued throughout the evening.

While traveling on Highway KK, Stewart confronted Tedder and Johns. The situation escalated into a violent altercation. During the confrontation, Johns armed himself with a .22-caliber pistol and shot Stewart seven times. Stewart died at the scene.

Several motorists passed by shortly after the shooting. Witnesses later reported seeing a man lying on the ground and hearing Johns repeatedly tell them that everything was fine and that they should leave. Afterward, Johns and Tedder fled the area. Stewart's body was later discovered, and investigators recovered multiple .22-caliber shell casings near the victim.

The following day, police located and questioned Deborah Tedder. Information obtained during the investigation led authorities to identify Johns as a suspect. However, he escaped capture and remained a fugitive for approximately six months.

While on the run, Johns committed a series of burglaries and robberies across Missouri. On February 7, 1997, he confronted homeowner Ron Wilson after stealing a shotgun from Wilson's residence. Johns fired shots and stole property before fleeing. Later that month, he entered the home of Bud and Melinda Veverka, held them at gunpoint, and robbed them.

The violence escalated further on February 28, 1997, when authorities discovered the body of Leonard Voyles in Camden County, Missouri. Voyles had been shot once in the head with a .22-caliber firearm. His truck and rifle were missing. Investigators later recovered fingerprints belonging to Johns from the stolen vehicle, and a shoe impression at the crime scene matched one of his boots.

A few days later, on March 9, 1997, authorities discovered the body of Wilma Bragg approximately three miles from Voyles' residence. Bragg had been bound and shot twice in the back of the head while lying face down on her bed. Investigators recovered evidence linking Johns to the crime, including DNA evidence found on a cigarette butt. Ballistics testing further connected the murder weapon to a rifle stolen from Leonard Voyles.

In the weeks that followed, Johns and his girlfriend, Beverly Guehrer, burglarized additional homes. Evidence recovered from these crimes consistently linked Johns to the offenses through fingerprints and stolen property.

The crime spree ended on April 7, 1997, when officers from the Missouri Water Patrol located Johns inside a cabin near Cole Camp Creek in Benton County. As officers approached, Johns emerged holding Beverly Guehrer in front of him as a human shield while pointing a rifle at her head. He threatened to shoot her if officers continued their approach.

When Johns suddenly moved in an apparent attempt to escape, Officer Eric Gottman fired a shot that struck him in the abdomen. Officers immediately took him into custody and ended the six-month manhunt.

Johns was subsequently prosecuted for multiple murders and related offenses. On February 22, 1999, he received a death sentence for the murder of Thomas Stewart in Pulaski County. The Missouri Supreme Court later affirmed the conviction. However, during post-conviction proceedings, a Missouri court ruled that Johns was intellectually disabled and therefore constitutionally ineligible for execution. Because the State did not challenge that ruling, his death sentence could no longer be carried out. Johns remains incarcerated under Missouri's prison system.