Facts of the Crime:
William Thomas was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of his wife, Rachel Thomas. To avoid paying his portion of their impending divorce settlement, William Thomas planned to kidnap and kill his wife. On September 12, 1991, Thomas and his friend, Douglas Schraud, went to Rachel’s house in order to kidnap her. Thomas beat Rachel and then tied her up. Rachel attempted to flee by hopping outside, but Thomas dragged her back into the house by her hair. Thomas then put Rachel into the truck of her car and left the scene. Rachel Thomas was never seen again.
Thomas was eventually indicted for the murder of his wife in May 1993. Thomas had made numerous inculpatory statements about Rachel Thomas’ disappearance; however, suspicion fell heavily upon Thomas after his mother was murdered. Authorities believed that Thomas killed his mother in order to prevent her from implicating him in the murder of Rachel Thomas.
Thomas was sentenced to death in Duval County on July 22, 1994.
Additional information:
William Thomas was also convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment (CC #93-5393) for the May 4, 1993 murder of his mother, Elsie Thomas, who he killed in order to keep her from talking to the police about the death of Rachel Thomas. On July 14, 1994, Thomas pled guilty to the murder of Elsie Thomas. In exchange for a recommendation of life in this case (CC #93-5393), Thomas waived his right to appeal any guilt phase issue arising out of the trial for the murder of his wife, Rachel Thomas (CC #93-5394).
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