John Stevenson, a 48-year-old man from the Merrill area, was found dead inside his Town of Corning home in Lincoln County on March 18, 2025, after relatives reported he missed work and could not be reached. Deputies who conducted a welfare check discovered him deceased; the Lincoln County coroner observed two visible gunshot wounds to his head.

Investigators quickly focused on Stevenson’s son, Austin Stevenson, who was at the residence when deputies arrived. Court filings say Austin, then 25, told deputies he had shot his father. The criminal complaint alleges Austin entered the home through an unlocked window on March 17, found a .22-caliber rifle, loaded it, waited in a stairwell and shot John when he returned; the complaint says Austin left and later returned to shoot him again. Austin was charged with first-degree intentional homicide and burglary and pleaded not guilty. Bond was set at $250,000.

Questions about Austin’s mental competency interrupted the prosecution. By October 2025 a judge found him not competent to proceed; that status continued into 2026 and a judge approved involuntary medication in May 2026 as part of attempts to restore competency. The homicide and burglary charges remain pending. Anyone who knew John Stevenson or has information about what happened on March 17, 2025, is asked to come forward.