DOB: 03-17-1961 DOC#: 860214 White Male
Marion County Superior Court
Judge John
R. Barney, Jr.
Prosecutor: John V. Commons, Lawrence O. Sells
Defense: Robert V. Clutter, Jeffrey A. Baldwin
Date of Murder: March 14, 1991
Victim(s): Melvin Hillis W/M/68; Robert Beeler W/M/47 (No relationship to Thompson)
Method of Murder: shooting with handgun
Summary: Hillis and his employee, Robert Beeler, were shot to death during a robbery by Thompson at Hills Auto Sales on Brookville Road in Indianapolis. The handgun used by Thompson was previously owned by Wesley Crandall. Evidence that Thompson was convicted of murdering Crandall in New Castle was admitted at the guilt trial as well as the penalty phase.
Trial: Information/PC for Murder filed (04-28-92); Amended Information for DP filed (03-02-94); Voir Dire (03-04-96, 03-05-96, 03-06-96); Jury Trial (03-07-96, 03-08-96, 03-09-96, 03-11-96); Verdict (03-12-96); DP Trial (03-12-96); Verdict (03-13-96); Court Sentencing (05-24-96).
Conviction: Murder (2 counts), Robbery (2 counts)
Sentencing: May 25, 1996 (Death Sentence, 40 years)
Aggravating Circumstances: b (1) Robbery, 2 murders, Convicted of another murder
Mitigating Circumstances: dysfunctional family, difficult family upbringing
Direct Appeal:
Thompson v. State, 690 N.E.2d 224 (Ind. December 23, 1997)
Conviction Reversed 5-0 DP Vacated 5-0
(Details of prior murder, and Thompson's conviction of that murder,
should not have been admitted, even though murder weapon was stolen from
prior murder victim)
Boehm Opinion; Shepard, Dickson, Sullivan, Selby, concur
On Remand:
Voir Dire (04-24-00, 04-25-00, 04-26-00; Jury Trial (04-26-00, 04-27-00, 04-28-00, 04-29-00); Verdict (04-29-00); DP Sentencing Hearing (05-01-00, 05-02-00, 05-03-00); Verdict (05-03-00; Court Sentencing (09-29-00).
A Marion Superior Court jury again found Thompson guilty of two counts of Murder, two counts of Felony-Murder, two counts of Robbery and Carrying a Handgun Without a License, and again recommended a death sentence on May 3, 2000. Thompson was again sentenced to death on September 29, 2000 by Marion County Superior Court Judge Tonya Walton Pratt
Thompson v. State, 671 N.E.2d 1165 (Ind. 1996).
(Direct appeal of 90 year sentence and conviction for unrelated murder/habitual offender in Henry County - Affirmed)
ON OCTOBER 27, 2002, THOMPSON WAS FOUND DEAD IN THE RECREATION AREA OF A CELLBLOCK ON “X ROW” AT THE INDIANA STATE PRISON IN MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA. THOMPSON SUFFERED SEVERAL FATAL STAB WOUNDS. AT THE TIME, THOMPSON WAS ON DIRECT APPEAL FROM HIS DEATH SENTENCE FOLLOWING A RETRIAL IN MARION COUNTY.
As of July 1, 2006