Houston man accused of 'nearly' decapitating girlfriend with samurai sword

Kenneth Wayne Lockings Jr. is facing a murder charge. See Houston neighborhoods with the most crime Kenneth Wayne Lockings Jr. is facing a murder charge. See Houston neighborhoods with the most crime Photo: HPD Photo: HPD Image 1 of / 33 Caption Close Houston man accused of 'nearly' decapitating girlfriend with samurai sword 1 / 33 Back to Gallery

A Houston man has been charged with murder after authorities said he "nearly" decapitated his girlfriend with a samurai sword Wednesday night near Independence Gardens.

Kenneth Wayne Lockings, Jr. turned himself in following the gruesome slaying, court records show.

Police responded to a call about a possible "cutting in progress" in the 10200 block of Tangiers around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. When they arrived, officers found 36-year-old Aracely Jernigan dead in the living room.

It was not immediately clear what led to the slashing.

Just hours earlier, the 45-year-old had stopped by his grandmother's house for coffee, the elderly woman told the Chronicle.

Marie Carrier, who lives next door on Tangiers, said she was unaware of what happened in the hours after Lockings left her home, but said it was well-known he had mental issues.

"He's really messed up in the head," she said.

He'd received the sword as a Thanksgiving present, the grandmother said. She also said Jernigan had been living with family in Mexico for a few months, and had only recently returned to Houston.

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The suspect's family members initially found him at the scene and helped Lockings turn himself in at the nearby police station, where he was interviewed, arrested and charged, according to police.

Lockings, who has a lengthy arrest history, was being held Thursday in the Harris County jail without bail for both the murder charge and a federal parole revocation.

In addition to a slew of prior drug arrests, Lockings was charged in 2009 for allegedly assaulting a family member, court records show. But ultimately that case was dismissed after Lockings was convicted and imprisoned for felony cocaine possession.

He does not currently have an attorney and is due to appear in court Wednesday, according to online records.