Manslaughter defendant found not guilty by reason of insanity
WICHITA COUNTY (KFDX/KTJL) — A woman accused of smothering her mother to death by sitting on her while praying has been found not guilty by reason of insanity, according to court documents.
Gloria Ann Jordan, 44, of Wichita Falls, appeared in the 30th District Court on Friday, April 11, and was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Jordan had been awaiting trial for a manslaughter charge stemming from the death of her mother, Wichita Falls pastor Gloria Farmer-Jordan, on November 21, 2021, in the 1800 block of Las Cruces.
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Jordan was first arrested in Burkburnett in February 2022 and then posted her bond two months later. She's been back in the Wichita County Jail since October 2022 on a $150,000 bond.
According to court documents, the prosecution established the elements of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt, but she was found to be insane at the time of the offense.
Jordan's trial was set to begin on April 28. The charges were originally filed in the 89th District Court, and the trial date was reset several times before the case was transferred to the 30th District Court in January 2025.
Jordan's competency to stand trial has been the source of a majority of the delays in her manslaughter case. In June 2023, she was declared legally insane at the time of the incident.
In August 2024, Jordan's attorney filed a notice that he intended to bring evidence in support of an insanity defense. After a pre-trial hearing in January 2025, the prosecution requested that Jordan be evaluated by an expert appointed by the state.
PREVIOUS STORY: Woman who sat on mother in prayer indicted for manslaughter
In March 2025, less than a month before she was found not guilty, Jordan wrote a letter to 30th District Court Judge Jeff McKnight, requesting a trial date.
'I have been in jail for almost three years,' Jordan said in the letter. 'It's my life that's on a standstill. I'm hoping you can intervene somehow.'
Jordan was ordered to be committed to a facility for evaluation, and an examination of her present mental condition was to be conducted in accordance with the Texas Code of Criminal Procedures.Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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