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Court documents reveal more on 4th person arrested for 2013 murder of Fort Eustis soldier’s wife

Posted at 10:41 PM, Feb 16, 2015
and last updated 2015-02-20 17:28:20-05

James City County, Va. - A fourth person has been arrested for the 2013 murder of a Williamsburg woman.

Gregory Crawford

Gregory Crawford

Gregory Andrew Crawford, 25, was arrested Monday, February 16th and charged with First Degree Murder for the death of Dana Patterson Mackay .

Mackay, age 42, was found dead by a neighbor inside her Teal Way home on July 27, 2013. She had suffered multiple stab wounds to the face and a finger had been cut off.

Her husband, John Wayne Mackay, and his mistress, Nicole Michelle Houchin, were arrested on July 29th and charged with Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Accessory before the fact of Capital Murder, and First Degree Murder.

It was revealed that the two conspired to kill Dana with Nicole Houchin’s husband, Nace Eugene Houchin Jr. for $20,000.

Nace Houchin was arrested on November 15, 2013 and faces the same charges.

Court documents say Crawford worked with John and Nicole at AutoZone. Nicole told police that one day after work, she asked Crawford if he knew someone who could help get rid of John's wife.

Crawford said he knew someone, but several weeks later, he said that guy had been shot in the hand, so he volunteered.

Documents further reveal that John Mackay offered to pay Crawford and Nace Houchin $20,000 to kill Dana.

Records say Crawford, Nicole and Nace  broke into Dana's home using a credit card. Nace kicked open Dana's bedroom door and beat her to death with a long socket wrench.

Then, police say, Nace knocked over items to make it look like a robbery.

Documents show Crawford later threw the murder weapon into the James River.

According to court records, Nace was a Specialist in the US Army stationed at Ft Eustis. John Mackay was a Staff Sergeant in the US Army stationed at Ft Eustis.

John Mackay and Nicole Houchin pleaded guilty to first degree murder as part of a plea deal in Williamsburg-James City County Circuit Court last week. They will be sentenced in May.

Nace Houchin has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He’s scheduled for a jury trial in March.

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