Published: March 10, 2009 09:29 pm      

Hardin Co. woman indicted on capital murder charges

A Woodville woman was indicted Tuesday by the Hardin County grand jury on capital murder charges for the part she played in the shooting death of 21-year-old Alex James Joseph III of Orange.

Prosecutors believe Niketa Nicole Floyd, 25, along with her husband, Randy Allen Floyd, 23, shot Joseph in the chest and left his body under a bridge at the turnaround near U.S. Highway 96 at Village Creek in Silsbee. They believe she played an equal part in the shooting.

A woman walking her dog in February 2007 near her Hardin County home found the body and called authorities.

Hardin County District Attorney David Sheffield said his office decided to file the capital murder charges since they feel the crime of kidnapping occurred in addition to the murder. Niketa Floyd was initially charged with murder in December 2008 and has been out on a $100,000 bond. With the new capital murder charges comes a warrant for her arrest. As of press time, she had not been arrested yet.

Sheffield said his office has not made a decision as to whether they will pursue the death penalty. However, Niketa Floyd could receive life in prison.

Investigators with the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office believe the incident started a few hours earlier with a home burglary in Hardin County. Officials believe the two men met for a drug deal when something went terribly wrong.

Following the murder, the Floyds left the state of Texas with their two young children in tow. They later stopped at a Wal-Mart in Sioux City, Iowa, and stole a bag of money as the clerk was collecting other bags from the registers, according to Chief Lance Webster of the Wayne, Nebraska Police Department.

After avoiding police, the family of four left Iowa and headed across the state line about 50 miles away in Wayne, Nebraska.

Randy Floyd burglarized a stainless steel welding shop and took cigarettes, an undetermined amount of cash and a few tools. Shortly after then, Randy Floyd burglarized Zach Oil Service Station. He used the tools from the previous burglary to gain entry. However, an officer from the local police department responded to the alarm call, Webster said.

Randy Floyd ran and the officer chased after him. However, he was able to get into his stolen vehicle and attempt to hit the officer with it. The officer managed to get out of the way without receiving any injuries, but not before discharging his weapon.

“He drove directly at the officer,” Webster said during a previous interview. “The officer fired two shots and hit both back tires.”

Because of a disabled vehicle, the Floyds were forced to steal another vehicle to continue their crime spree. After stealing another vehicle the family was once again on the run and headed 240 miles away to Grand Island, Nebraska. They later abandoned the vehicle, but chose another vehicle with expired registration at a local dealership.

Floyd paid cash for the vehicle, but it would be the one to end the trail of crime. An officer spotted the expired registration on the vehicle at a local motel and ran a check on the owner.

Officers went to the motel office and confirmed they were there. During that time, a woman at the motel reported to police she saw a man run through the motel parking lot. After a brief chase on foot, Randy Floyd was finally arrested.

Niketa Floyd returned home to Texas while investigators worked to collect evidence which linked her to the murder.

Randy Floyd is now serving prison time in Nebraska for two burglaries, auto theft and criminal attempt to assault on a police officer. Following the completion of the sentence he will be transported to begin his sentence in Texas. He will be required to serve half his sentence before he is eligible for parole.

Randy Floyd confessed to the crime and was initially offered a 40-year prison term for the charge, but when he appeared in court he had changed his mind.

After speaking to his wife, Randy Floyd decided to take the plea deal in Feb. 2008 of 40 years. However, because he delayed his decision, the district attorney’s office added five years.



Debby Schamber is a reporter for the Orange Leader. She can be reached at 409-883-3571 ext. 2603 or at dschamber@orangeleader.com.