Jason Alan Thornburg, a Texas man who confessed to eating parts of one of his victims and was found guilty of killing three people for sacrifice, was given the death penalty.
Thornburg, 44, was convicted by a jury on November 20 of the heinous killings of Maricruz Mathis, 33, Lauren Phillips, 34, and David Lueras, 42. at September 2021, the disfigured bodies of the three victims were found burning at a trash dump. In December, Thornburg was charged with their killings. He admitted to the killings and the murders of his 36-year-old girlfriend Tanya Begay and his 61-year-old roommate Mark Jewell in his arrest warrant.
On December 4, Thornburg received word of his fate.
Before the trial started, prosecutors requested the death penalty. In 2022, Sharen Wilson, the criminal district attorney for Tarrant County, said that our agency’s choice to pursue the death penalty is crucial. Only the most heinous offenders are eligible for the death penalty. In this instance, it is only fitting that we seek the death penalty.
Particularly horrific were the killings of the three victims connected to Thornburg’s conviction. Thornburg stated in the probable cause affidavit that he thought he was being called to make sacrifices and that he had a thorough understanding of the Bible.
The culprit claimed that he thought David Lueras should be sacrificed in the case of Thornburg and David Lueras, who had been sharing a motel room at the Mid City Inn in Euless, Texas, in the days before his death. After slitting David’s throat, he proceeded to dismember him in the bathtub. Thornburg bought Rubbermaid containers to put the remains in after initially concealing them in trash bags in his room.
Two days later, Maricruz Mathis showed up in his hotel room and met a similar end, with her mutilated bones being put in containers. Two days later, Lauren Phillips arrived, but Thornburg told detectives that after trying to knife her without success, he strangled her.
Even more graphic details were uncovered throughout the trial, including Thornburg confessing to consuming a portion of Luera’s heart and chopping off his genitalia, according to KDFW, a local Fox affiliate. Additionally, he admitted to sexually abusing Phillip’s body. He also cleaned and brought back to the store the containers he used to store the body parts of his victims.
Thornburg told investigators in an affidavit that Jewell and Begay were sacrificed, even though their cases were distinct. Thornburg was charged with Jewell’s murder. The body of Begay has never been found.
Amy Allin, the prosecution, told the jurors during closing remarks that he is a psychopath. He is malevolent. He stands for the sort of evil that we would prefer to think is absent from our community. We would want to think that we are not bringing up our kids in a world where people like Jason Thornburg are real.
We like to think that the Bible is not a weapon in our culture and that a serial killer cannot take advantage of your weaknesses. However, that evil will continue as long as Jason Thornburg lives in our globe.
Thornburg’s defense team tried to prove that their murdering client didn’t want to be that way and was destined in the womb. They told the jury that he confessed to the horrendous atrocities because he believed that by making a terrible, sinful sacrifice, he was doing the right thing. He heard voices that weren’t justified.
In some respects, they are evil, but he thinks it’s right. That’s really strange. So strange. But see, that’s what he thought. As citizens, we know that his sacrifices were wrong, even though he thought they were.
The jury unanimously found Thornburg guilty and sentenced him to death after less than five hours of discussion.
The families of the victims had the chance to meet Thornburg after his punishment.
“He took the life of our loved one in horrific and unspeakable acts, which in and of themselves are evil,” said Lauren Dunphy, David Lueras’ sister.
These were recurrent, covert, cruel, ugly, perverted, and planned. These were dreadful acts. However, what we know about Jason’s motivations only makes his actions more heinous. Hearing how the Bible has been twisted to justify such heinous actions has been quite upsetting.
Maricruz Mathis’ sister, Norma Harris, described the pain she and her family experienced upon the loss of a loved one as intolerable. I hope you’re pardoned in heaven, she said, because I personally? I don’t think I’m capable of it.
Deborah Curry, Lauren Phillips’ aunt, said, “You have committed the ultimate blasphemy against God.” You work for Satan even if you say you’re performing God’s work.
All of the attributes that God bestowed upon you have been destroyed, and you have consciously filled your soul with the works of Satan by cruelly and gruesomely killing our beloved from behind while they are sleeping at night.
One of Thornburg’s attorneys, J. Warren St. John, expressed his disappointment with the sentencing to The New York Times. Thornburg’s punishment will be automatically appealed under Texas law.
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Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.