Steven Lawayne Nelson is scheduled for execution on Wednesday for the 2011 murder of Reverend Clint Dobson. Dobson, 28, was tragically killed inside NorthPointe Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas. Nelson's crime involved beating, strangling, and ultimately suffocating the pastor with a plastic bag. Reports indicate Dobson was working on a sermon when the attack occurred.

Following the murder, Nelson used the victim's credit cards for a shopping spree, which led to his apprehension. Dobson's father-in-law, Phillip Rozeman, expressed profound grief and disbelief at the crime, highlighting the devastating loss of a promising leader.

Just three days prior to the murder, Nelson had completed a court-mandated anger management program stemming from an aggravated assault charge involving his girlfriend. This program was part of an agreement with Dallas County prosecutors. Nelson's criminal history includes previous imprisonment for theft and time spent in juvenile detention facilities during his adolescence.

Following his sentencing for Dobson's murder, Nelson's disruptive behavior continued. He reportedly damaged a sprinkler head in his holding cell, causing flooding in the courtroom. Furthermore, he repeatedly removed his restraints using a hidden key. While awaiting trial, he was also indicted for the alleged killing of a fellow inmate, though charges were never filed after he received the death sentence for Dobson's murder.

During the trial, Nelson claimed he acted as a lookout outside the church and entered to find Dobson and Judy Elliott, another individual present at the scene, already injured. He maintained Dobson was still alive at that point. Nelson admitted to taking Dobson's laptop and receiving Elliott's car keys and credit cards from an accomplice. Elliott’s husband, the church's part-time music minister, discovered the victims, initially unable to recognize his wife due to the severity of her injuries. Despite Nelson's claims, prosecutors presented evidence linking him to the crime scene, including fingerprints, pieces of his broken belt, and the victims' blood on his shoes.

Nelson's legal team has appealed the conviction, arguing inadequate representation during the trial. They claim the defense failed to challenge the alibis of two other men involved and neglected to present mitigating evidence related to Nelson's difficult upbringing.