FORT WORTH, Texas -
Trial testimony began today in Fort Worth for a man accused of robbing and murdering a Hurst pastor and beating a church assistant nearly to death last year.
Since he's been in jail, 25-year-old Steven Lawayne Nelson has also been accused of attacking a jail guard and enticing a fellow inmate to commit suicide.
On March 3, 2011, Nelson allegedly broke into to NorthPointe Baptist Church to burglarize it. The break-in surprised pastor Clint Dobson and his administrative assistant, Judy Elliott.
Monday morning in court, Elliott's husband testified he went to the church because he couldn't get in touch with his wife that day.
Inside, he found a woman beaten so badly he didn't realize it was his wife until he recognized her clothes.
Elliott eventually recovered from the attack, but Pastor Dobson was dead. The 28-year-old pastor had been asphyxiated when the attacker put a plastic bag over his head.
Nelson and another acquaintance were arrested after friends told police they heard them laughing about the crime.
A grand jury declined to indict Nelson's acquaintance.
FOX 4's Dionne Anglin is tweeting live updates from the trial. Follow her developments here: https://twitter.com/DionneAnglin
