John Floyd Thomas Jr: “Los Angeles’ most prolific serial killer” *

From the Associated Press:

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LOS ANGELES – Police believe a 72-year-old man charged with two cold-case murders is tied to two decades-old waves of Southern California serial killings and as many as 25 victims.

DNA matching former insurance adjuster John Floyd Thomas Jr. was found at five crime scenes spanning the killing-and-rape rampages in west Los Angeles in the 1970s and Claremont in the 1980s, said LAPD Robbery-Homicide Cold Case Detective Richard Bengston.

“When all is said and done, Mr. Thomas stands to be Los Angeles’ most prolific serial killer,” Bengston told the Los Angeles Times.

Police planned to reveal details of the case at a Thursday news conference.

In the first wave of killings in Los Angeles in the mid-1970s, a man police dubbed “The Westside Rapist” entered the homes of elderly women who lived alone, raped them and choked them until they passed out or died. The 17 who were killed were found with pillows or blankets over their faces.

A decade later and 40 miles to the east, five elderly women in Claremont were found raped and killed, also with blankets or pillows over their faces.

Despite some 20 survivors of similar attacks, detectives said they didn’t solve either set of cases nor connect the two. They blamed conflicting descriptions from victims, lack of communication between agencies and a past absence of DNA technology.

LA Times map of Westside crime spree.

*LAPD press release on the jump


Cold Case Serial Killer Arrested–NA09111kr

What:          
News Conference  
        
When:             
Thursday, April 30, 2009
1:00 p.m.  

Where:         
Parker Center
150 North Los Angeles Street
Los Angeles  90012

Who:               
LAPD Chief of Police William Bratton
Councilmember Jack Weiss, District 5 (Tentative)
Councilmember Bill Rosendahl, District 11
Councilmember Herb Wesson, District 10 (Tentative)
LAPD Deputy Chief Charlie Beck
LAPD Captain Dennis Cremins
LAPD Robbery Homicide Cold Case Detectives
(Richard Bengstan, Rick Jackson)
SID Criminalists
LAPD Southwest Registration Enforcement and Compliance Team Officers
Inglewood Captain Eve Irvine
Inglewood Homicide Detectives and Grandson of one victim    
                         
Why:           
To announce the identity and arrest of a suspect who has been linked by DNA evidence to two LAPD cold case murders and three others in Inglewood and the County of Los Angeles. Detectives believe that this suspect could be linked to as many as 25 other unsolved murder cases and numerous sexual assault cases.

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16 thoughts on “John Floyd Thomas Jr: “Los Angeles’ most prolific serial killer” *

  1. Oh gee the victim’s were all white old lady’s and he is black – big surprise ! Maybe they will keep him lokced up forever this time..

  2. Rather than house this POS, they shoulod turn him loose in a room full of the victims grandsons for an hour. Sorry nigger.

  3. I guess he will go down in history as the “Westside One” just like the Jena 6. Expect marches by jackson, sharpton et all.

    I looked at the map on another website. His crimes all took place EAST of la Cienaga. Some say the dividing line between W. Los Angeles is La Cieniega. Truth is the dividing line is Robertson blvd, a couple miles west of La Cieniega.

    Personally I seldom go east of Overland. I prefer to stay in W. Los Angeles instead of entering the dangerous third world country of Los Angeles.

    One more comment. The map on the blinkoncrime website showed the location of his home. Guess what???? He lived right off Saint Martin Luther King blvd. Don’t most murderers and rapists live near Saint Martin Luther King blvd????????

    He is one of the reasons I don’t mind the Mexican invasion at all. Mexicans have a pretty high crime rate, but they don’t hunt down Whites to murder, rob, assault and rape the way blacks do. If they do murder, rob, rape or beat us up, it is only because we are available, not because they drove 15 miles across town to hunt down Whites.

    Los Angeles has become much safer, especially for Whites since the Mexican invasion drove the blacks out of S. Central Los Angeles and those crime infested predator’s lairs, Compton, Carson, Maywood etc.

  4. This man is my sister’s father in law..we are shocked. His son (my sister’s husband) didnt fall far from that tree!! He too served time for some other things that are similiar. He destroyed my sister’s family!!! Like father like son. Burn in hell Thomas family.

  5. This man is my sister’s father in law..we are shocked. His son (my sister’s husband) didnt fall far from that tree!! He too served time for some other things that are similiar. He destroyed my sister’s family!!! Like father like son. Burn in hell Thomas family.

  6. Margaret, you should be ashamed of your comments …Afterall, white people are known as the most prolific serial killers and there are many examples. In fact, whites often target children to rape and kill and as recent events have shown White Men and Women suffer from pedeophilia so, don’t type cast all blacks, because “you” can fit into an unsavory category yourself.

  7. Margaret, for real? What decade are you living in? If you look at the history of serial killers, they are mostly white and male.

  8. Raquel-

    Your comments are the most absurd and immature ever! You have the audacity to pass judgment! How can you pass judgment at all? You have done things that have hurt others, yourself, you have done wrong I’m sure. Why are you saying something now? How did you feel about him before you found out this news? Did you even know him? His son is a very cherished man in my family!

    For you to say something as hurtful as what you said, shows your hate in a way that is indescribable. You DON’T even know his whole family and I’m hurt that someone I don’t even know can even say something like that!

    Because of what one man allegedly did you are commending the children of the Thomas family? (ie grandchildren, great-grandchildren) What did they do? Why do they deserve “go to hell?” Think on that for a while, ponder your own life perhaps for a change. Where will you go?
    You are in my prayers Raquel

  9. Margaret – It is a sad life that you live if you have shut out a race of people, have stereotyped a race as responsible for rape and murder of “white women.” In fact if you will research this matter you will find that almost all crimes of violence are done within one’s own racial and ethnic group. And each racial and each ethnic group has its own supply of rapists, murderers, child molesters, and so on.
    It is a sad loss that you are suffering – for you are missing the richness and the depth of texture within the multiracial, multicultural society we live in – in the greater Los Angeles area. This loss is demonstrated in how you are allowing fear to dominate your thinking.
    Yes, life is miserable, filled with disappointment and pain – and far too short! Find joy and share it – let that dominate your thoughts and your days.
    With love – your fellow traveler on this short journey…

  10. Margaret:
    During my era of living in LA I learned that Hispanics were easier to deal with than blacks. Too much has occurred between the two races for them to ever live comfortably together.
    Living well 250 miles north of Sacramento.

  11. Margaret….”Saint Martin Luther King”?….since when did the great civil rights leader become a saint? Margaret you are just an ignorant racist and you need to be move up north with TanaS. There is no place in this society for ignorant racists like you.
    One more point: The Mexican Invasion?… We are just taking all back without a shot being fired!!!!

  12. Nilah,
    Oh so sorry about that, let me rephrase “burn in hell to the men who have committed heinous acts against another human being”. And yes, I am sure I have hurt other peoples “FEELINGS” in my lifetime, but have never put my hands on another and caused them death, suffering and pain. And which son do you think I am making a reference to? You must have some deep family secrets. Ponder that.

  13. This guy is most likely also the Grim Sleeper Killer. Those killings took place in the same vicinity as these murders.

  14. This man caused horrible pain and suffering to numerous women and their families. Somehow the authorities pinned the crimes on him, and law enforcement suspects this is just the tip of the iceberg of this monster. This case is what our Death Penalty was designed for – I don’t care if he’s 72 years old, he should be tossed in the slammer and throw the key away except when put to death for his crimes. He is just an ordinary man, and one would never suspect he’s a criminal, but he committed some acts of cruelty and sadism that mandates capital punishment. The sooner the better and may his rotten soul burn in Hell for eternity.

  15. I know John Thomas and I knew his son as a little kid and I often wondered, now I guess I know through these postings, He worked for me through the 70’s and I never thought until the Pasadens caper that he was capable of anything like this but I guess I was wrong and he should pay for what he has done. and for those of you passing judgement, you should not to that unless you are called for jury duty

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