Trigger Warning: This article contains details about drug abuse, murder and other violent instances.
The name Matthew Johnson brings shivers down every American (or Texas native) who knows his story—the serial killer who committed a brutal robbery and murder on May 20, 2012, as he entered a store at the Fina Whip-In convenience store in Garland, Texas, at 7 am, shortly after 76-year-old clerk Nancy Harris began her shift, is set to get what he deserves. Surveillance footage caught Johnson dousing Harris with lighter fluid, demanding money, and stealing cigarettes, lighters, and her ring.
When Nancy Harris opened the register, Matthew Johnson lit a flame and set her on fire. As he left the crime scene, he stole candy bars like a monster. The notorious criminal has also been charged with several prison sentences due to many horrific crimes, followed by a violent code of conduct, and openly admitted to the crime in a 2013 trial that placed him on death row.
As per the Texas Observer, soon after, nearby folks with two police officers saw the fire, and Nancy Harris was rushed to the Parkland Memorial Hospital, where she died five days later due to her fatal burns. Her family surrounded her at the time of death. Meanwhile, during his trial, Johnson admitted that he wasn’t in the right state of mind when he committed the crime, as he had been high on cocaine and was drinking all night.
He claimed that he needed money to buy more drugs and did not mean to kill the innocent lady. Stating he only meant to scare her. He described feeling like “scum” and told the jury he deserved the death sentence. As of 2025, Johnson is scheduled to be executed by the State of Texas on May 20, exactly 13 years after the incident took place.
The Texas Attorney General’s Office requested the execution date after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Johnson’s final appeal in 2023. Meanwhile, Johnson’s defence attorney said in April that Matthew Johnson understands the consequences of the horrific crime he committed and is ‘deeply regretful.’
Death penalty update: Matthew Johnson was convicted of the 2012 murder of Nancy Harris in Dallas County. His execution is scheduled this week. https://t.co/zuPJJEJ8Xp
— Texas Observer (@TexasObserver) May 17, 2025
Since the case was strong against Johnson, his defense team did not present any witnesses during the trial’s guilt phase. In addition, he had already taken responsibility for what had happened, so there was nothing more to say. However, they argued for a life sentence, presenting testimony from family members, coworkers, and Johnson’s wife.
Johnson’s team said that his violent and dark nature was due to his substance addiction, which will not be available in prison. Furthermore, he testified that he was a victim of sexual abuse and started using marijuana, weed, and cocaine at a very young age. Reportedly, a week before Nancy’s murder, Johnson claimed in his trial, that he had asked the cops to arrest him as he needed help, though he was turned away.
As reported by The Texas Observer outlet, Matthew Johnson also served a brief stint at a rehabilitation center. Still, he came out when his insurance ran out. Alas, all his appeals were rejected. If the execution proceeds, Johnson will be the fourth person in the state put to death by lethal injection, a common method used for the process in America.
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Sadly, Johnson’s case is a classic example of how substance addiction can ruin people’s lives. All his crimes so far in his record have been related to drugs and addiction. Johnson also served five years in prison for robbery between 2004 and 2009, reportedly staying sober inside and for two years after his release.
He relapsed in 2011 after his wife lost her job, shortly after they bought their first home. It’s sad to see so many people succumb to the dark side of drugs and lose out on a bright future.
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“This is the end, but for me, it’s the beginning of life,” he wrote in a letter to the Texas Observer a week before his execution date was announced. “I truly love you, Mrs. Harris, and I’m sorry. I pray we meet in eternity and dwell together forever.”
