True Crime Chronicles: Franklin County murderer Jason Eugene Houston drew 70-years for 2012 killing of girlfriend
- Dennis McCaslin
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
,Jason Eugene Houston, a 37-year-old man from the Altus area in Franklin County, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in August 2012 for the fatal shooting of his 44-year-old girlfriend Dena Knight Hancock, at her home just north of Ozark.
Circuit Judge William Pearson sentenced him to 55 years on the murder charge plus an additional 15-year firearm enhancement for a total of 70 years in the Arkansas Division of Correction. Houston remains incarcerated today with a projected release eligibility date around June 2030.
The shooting took place inside her home on January 31, 2012, during what authorities described as a domestic incident.
Houston fled the scene after the shooting and was arrested later that same day in Van Buren in neighboring Crawford County. Reports indicated he used a vehicle to flee and faced additional charges related to that pursuit, including attempted capital murder in Crawford County.
He was initially charged with first-degree murder in Franklin County but reached a plea agreement allowing him to plead guilty to the lesser second degree murder charge just before trial was set to begin.
During a mental evaluation, Houston reportedly told evaluators that the shooting was an accident. The second-degree murder conviction reflected that he knowingly engaged in conduct which created a strong probability of death or serious physical injury, though it was not classified as premeditated first-degree murder.
The case involved the use of a firearm in a domestic setting, which led to the enhancement at sentencing.
Houston had a prior criminal history that included multiple drug-related convictions in Washington County for manufacturing, delivery, and possession of controlled substances as well as fraud involving drug paraphernalia and failures to appear.
Those earlier sentences dated back to 2006 and 2007. At the time of the homicide, he also faced charges in Crawford and Franklin counties for criminal mischief and other offenses.
His record showed a pattern of substance issues and repeated interactions with the justice system that escalated over time.
The plea and sentencing brought a swift resolution to the case after Houston's arrest. He has served nearly 14 years of his sentence as of mid -2026 and is currently held at the Conway County facility.
he homicide remains a stark example of domestic violence in the River Valley region, where a relationship ended in gunfire and a life was lost. Family and friends of Dena Knight Hancock saw justice through the conviction, though the loss continues to impact those who knew her.
