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Thread: Maron Thomas Sentenced to LWOP in 2010 TX Deaths Of 5 Family Members

  1. #1
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Maron Thomas Sentenced to LWOP in 2010 TX Deaths Of 5 Family Members

    Texas man charged in deaths of 5 family members

    BELLVILLE, Texas (AP) — A southeast Texas man was charged Wednesday in the weekend shooting deaths of five family members, including his 2-year-old niece, who also was decapitated.

    Maron Thomas, 20, remains jailed on a $1 million bond, accused in the deaths of his mother, stepfather, sister, brother and niece. Police said Thomas was naked when he was caught trying to break into a neighbor's home after the shootings.

    "This is one of the most horrific crimes we've had," Austin County District Attorney Travis Koehn said.

    Investigators said an ongoing family dispute led to the shootings, but they declined to give additional details.

    The five bodies were discovered Sunday afternoon at the family's single-story brick home in Bellville, a rural town of about 4,000 people 55 miles northwest of Houston. Police say the shootings took place early Sunday morning.

    Preliminary autopsy reports indicate all five died of gunshot wounds, and the 2-year-old girl was decapitated with a machete. Her head was found near her body, Austin County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Paul Faircloth said.

    A shotgun and a handgun found near the scene were both used to kill the family, Texas Ranger David Maxwell said. Authorities would not say how many times each victim was shot.

    Before the capital murder charge was filed, Thomas was held on charges of breaking into a vehicle and trying to break into a home 1 1/2 miles from his family's house.

    Faircloth said he didn't know whether Thomas had an attorney, and the court was not open Wednesday evening to check whether an attorney has been listed in the case. Austin County court records aren't available online.

    Relatives who were at Thomas' home Wednesday declined to comment.

    Faircloth said Thomas broke into a car after the shootings and was naked when a neighbor caught him trying to break into the neighbor's house about 3 a.m. Sunday. The neighbor held Thomas at gunpoint until police arrived. By then, Thomas was wearing spandex workout shorts, he said.

    Thomas was taken to the county jail, where he told deputies he had killed his family, Maxwell said.

    Those found inside the house were identified as Thomas' mother, Debra Washington, 54; his stepfather, George T. Washington, 69; his sister Kiana Phearse, 25; and his 2-year-old niece, Khalilah Chambers-Massey. The naked body of his brother, Cedric Thomas, 19, was found in a thick expanse of woods behind the house.

    Relatives and neighbors have described the Washingtons as a friendly couple who had lived in the house with Thomas since moving from Houston about two years ago.

    Koehn said the single count of capital murder covers all five slayings, but Thomas could be charged with additional counts. Prosecutors have not decided whether they will seek the death penalty.

    Authorities took blood samples from Thomas to determine whether he might have been using drugs at the time of the shootings, Maxwell said.

    Bellville drew attention in August with the shooting death of a physician during a burglary at his ranch. Two suspects were arrested days later and charged with killing Dr. Jorge Mario Gonzalez of Houston.

    http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-01-20-Texas-deaths_N.htm?csp=34

  2. #2
    Senior Member CnCP Legend JLR's Avatar
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    Maron Thomas, 24, has been sentenced to life without parole after being found guilty of capital murder in January 2010 deaths of his brother and sister.
    Austin County jurors handed down the guilty verdict on June 28 after just an hour and a half deliberation.
    Thomas was accused of killing his mother, Debra Washington, stepfather George Washington, brother Cedric Thomas, sister Kiana Phearse and two-year-old niece Khalilah Chambers-Massey on or about Jan. 17, 2010 in Buckhorn.
    Thomas was only tried last month in the murders of his brother and sister. Indictments in the other murders will likely remain open, pending the outcome of his appeal.
    Thomas entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.
    The jury also heard punishment evidence and deliberated approximately seven hours before answering special issue questions that would determine Thomas’s sentence. The Austin County district attorney’s office sought the death penalty, however, District 155 Judge Jeff Steinhauser sentenced Thomas to life without parole.
    Thomas was charged with capital murder three different ways in separate indictments arising from the killings. He was indicted for killing Cedric Thomas and Kiana Phearse in the same criminal transaction, killing Debra and George Washington in the same criminal transaction, and killing Khalilah Chambers-Massey, a child under the age of six.
    A family dispute was believed to have pushed Thomas to a deadly rampage that led to the deaths of five family members, and the decapitation of his 2-year-old niece.
    More than three years ago, after the crime, Austin County District Attorney Travis Koehn called the massacre “horrific.”
    “This is one of the most horrific crimes we’ve had in Austin County,” Koehn said at the time. “Austin County is a safe place to live, but unfortunately, we are not immune to the same kinds of crimes that occur in other locations.”
    All of the victims had shared a home in the Buckhorn community approximately eight miles northeast of Bellville. Reports showed all of the adults died of gunshot wounds. The child’s body had been decapitated with a machete. Officers recovered a shotgun and handgun near the scene.
    A domestic dispute appeared to have occurred the night of the murders, which were believed to have happened between midnight, Jan. 16, 2010 and 3 a.m. Jan. 17, 2010.
    Investigators said Thomas then burglarized a car and was arrested at roughly 3 a.m. Jan. 17 after being caught trying to break into a home, while naked, a little more than a mile from his family’s home.
    He was held at gunpoint until deputies arrived. Thomas had put on a pair of workout shorts by the time deputies arrived at the scene.
    In 2010, investigators said Thomas told them of the murders Jan. 17, while still in jail on charges of burglary of a vehicle and attempted burglary of a habitation.
    While deputies were responding to the scene, located in the 8400 block of FM 1456, family members also contacted the Austin County Sheriff’s Office after discovering the bodies.
    Assistant Texas Attorney General Wesley Mau presented much of the evidence in the trial, along with Koehn and First Assistant District Attorney Brandy Davidson.
    “Attorney General Greg Abbott offers a variety of assistance options for counties in complex prosecutions of serious crimes,” Koehn said. “As my office only has three prosecutors, I requested the Attorney General’s help so that I could vigorously prosecute this heinous crime while maintaining our regular misdemeanor and felony case loads.”
    More than 200 exhibits were presented by the state and more than 20 witnesses took the stand during the trial.
    Thomas’s defense focused on evidence that Thomas suffered from a mental disease or defect that prevented him from knowing his conduct was wrong.
    “Although we believed the death penalty was appropriate, we respect the jury’s verdict. This defendant will die behind bars,” Koehn stated.
    The case marked the first time the death penalty had been sought in Austin County since the retrial of Billy George Hughes. Hughes was found guilty of capital murder for shooting a peace officer and was sentenced to death in 1976. His conviction was overturned on appeal, and he was retried and sentenced to death a second time in 1988. His execution was carried out in 2000.




    Looks like he's still facing death row on the other two cases

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