By Charles McClure
news@ltview.com
The man Austin police have arrested in connection with a double homicide of two former University of Texas students dropped out of Lake Travis High School his senior year in 2008.

James Richard “Ricky” Thompson, 19, is currently in police custody, charged with two counts of capital murder and misdemeanor marijuana possession in the slayings of John Goosey, 21, and Stacy Barnett, 22, who died of gunshot wounds July 21 between 10 and 10:15 a.m. in their home at 904 W. 21st Street.
At press time, Thompson remained in the custody of the Travis County Jail and was being held without bail. The Austin law firm of Roy and Perry Minton will defend Thompson. The defendant had already hired the firm to represent him in relation to an allegation that he stole $500 and $1,500 worth of liquor from a Lakeway country club in May 2008.
“This is an absolute tragedy for everyone involved,” Perry Minton told the Austin American-Statesman. “Our hearts go out to the families that are burying their children. Everybody is sad about that. As this develops more, we’ll talk to Ricky about it.”
No hearing date has been set, Minton said.
Goosey and Barnett lived on the second floor of the Preservation Square Condominium Complex. Both were natives of Houston, where a memorial service was held July 27.
According to an arrest affidavit, a friend allegedly dropped off Thompson near the condominium before the murders. The friend told police that he was under the impression that Thompson, equipped with a green duffle back, intended to make a purchase of marijuana. The affidavit said a friend of Goosey’s had frequently advanced Thompson marijuana, and that the suspect may have owed the deceased about $7,000 for the illegal drug.
The affidavit said Thompson was seen on the condominium stairwell. Eventually, Austin police traced Thompson’s cell phone calls to Goosey and arrested him July 25 at a home on Alexandria Drive, near the intersection Brodie Lane and West William Cannon Drive in South Austin.
A Lake Travis Independent School District spokesperson said Thompson, who was a Lakeway resident at the time, had been an average student and it was uncertain why he had chosen to drop out of high school.