Cheyenne County Attorney Paul Schaub has filed to seek habitual criminal status against the Sidney man awaiting trial for the brutal stabbing death of his live-in girlfriend last month.

       46-year old Craig Johnson already faces charges of 2nd-degree murder and felony use of a weapon that would bring him at least 20-to-life if convicted. The habitual criminal count is based on a pair of burglary and drug convictions in Texas.

      Despite that and despite the trial being on hold as Johnson undergoes a competency evaluation at a treatment center in Lincoln, Schaub went ahead and filed an amended complaint adding the habitual criminal count. A status hearing is scheduled for April 4th.

      The body of 42-year-old April Smith was found December 12th in the apartment she shared with Johnson about 8 miles west of Sidney. She'd been beaten and stabbed, then left tied up with rope and an electrical cord.

      Johnson.fled Nebraska and was captured in Michigan following a brief police chase. He was being held in the Scotts Bluff County jail after waiving extradition back to Nebraska when he began showing signs of mental troubles.

       According to court documents, guards who observed Johnson engage in irrational behavior and express a desire to cause himself intentional harm asked for an emergency protection order evaluation.

      The documents also say that Johnson has refused to take any medication and has shown signs of clinical depression, audio/visual hallucinations, and self-inflicted injury tendencies.