Suspect indicted in murder of Santa Rosa couple

Derrick Ray Thompson now officially faces three counts of first degree murder.

A Santa Rosa County grand jury indicted Thompson Thursday for the killings of Steven and Debra Zackowski. He is scheduled for arraignment Oct. 10.

He had previously been charged in Bay County for fatally shooting Allen Johnson.

Now prosecutors must decide whether to seek the death penalty in either or both of the judicial circuits in which Thompson, who has already confessed to the crimes, faces trial.

“We will have a committee review the aggravating and mitigating circumstances in our case and expect in the next two or three weeks to make a decision on whether to seek the death penalty,” said First Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Eddins.

The Zackowski deaths fall under Eddins’ jurisdiction.

The Johnson case is under the purview of the 14th Judicial Circuit headed by State Attorney Glenn Hess. No decision on the death penalty has been reached in that circuit either, said Hess spokesman David Angier.

“We’re not there yet,” he said.

Thompson is accused of shooting the Zackowskis on June 19 at their home in Milton. The killings came after they reportedly turned Thompson in for stealing prescription drugs and other items from them.

Santa Rosa County deputies discovered the bodies on the 20th. They quickly labeled Thompson a person of interest in their murder investigation and put out the word that he might be headed to Bay County.

Johnson family members discovered the body of the controversial nightclub owner June 21 at his Panama City-area home. Johnson, who was a friend of Thompson’s, had been robbed and his truck stolen.

Investigators determined Thompson bought drugs with money he’d taken from Thompson.

Eddins said with indictments in place, the First and 14th judicial circuits will proceed separately toward trying Thompson, and work together as the cases move through the judicial system.

Though the two State Attorneys Offices’ may jointly decide which of the two cases comes to trial first, officials in both circuits said the death penalty decision will be made independently.

“If we determine the death penalty is appropriate we will seek it here regardless of what the decision is in the Panama City case,” Eddins said.

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Tom McLaughlin at 850-315-4435 or tmclaughlin@nwfdailynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomMnwfdn.