DFW News App

WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Proceedings began on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in the trial of a man facing multiple felony charges after the defendant allegedly changed his mind about a plea deal just days before.

Joe Bob Wilcoxson, Jr., 60, of Burkburnett, was set to plead guilty to two charges of criminal mischief related to the alleged theft of utility services as well as a charge of possessing methamphetamine in a drug-free zone.

On Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, Wilcoxson appeared in the 30th District Court for a scheduled pre-trial hearing, with Judge Jeff McKnight presiding. The cases were set to go before a jury beginning on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.

Courthouse officials said they believed Wilcoxson was set to plead guilty on Friday, Oct. 31, with an agreed sentence of 10 years in prison. However, on Friday, when Judge McKnight called Wilcoxson’s case, instead of a hearing, Wilcoxson and his attorney spoke in private.

After speaking with his attorney, Wilcoxson apparently changed his mind and chose not to accept the plea agreement, moving the case forward to trial. Jury selection began as scheduled on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.

According to courthouse officials, if convicted, Wilcoxson faces a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

The criminal mischief charges against Wilcoxson stem from 2024, when officials with the Burkburnett Police Department said they discovered Wilcoxson had diverted natural gas into his home by running a PVC pipe into the natural gas line. They said they also found that he’d installed an extension cord in the electricity box of his neighbor’s home.

While the criminal mischief charges were pending against Wilcoxson in 2025, authorities said he admitted to being in possession of methamphetamine during a traffic stop that occurred within 1,000 feet of Denver Alternative School, a drug-free zone.

Proceedings in Wilcoxson’s trial are set to resume on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.