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WINNER: American Book Fest Award for True Crime: Non-Fiction!
Maybe the youngest son of a violent criminal named Hoggy Thompson was born a beast. Maybe rage was beaten into him.
One thing was certain, by the time he reached manhood, Jerry Thompson was a savage killer. He had no conscience about rape, child molestation, or thrashing a dozen men in a prison fight. Once he got his hands on a gun, any target would do. He didn’t leave witnesses.
When he terrorized an entire courtroom and offered to rip deputy prosecutor Larry Sells apart, people wondered if there would ever be a way to stop his viciousness.
Now from the authors of bestselling true crime, RACE TO JUSTICE, comes an even more frightening story of a monster and what it took to defeat him once and for all.
From The Book:
It was the end of the workday at Hillis Auto Sales when Thompson and Percy arrived on March 14, 1991. The place was near Percy’s job and he wanted to look at a black Riviera. Thompson remained outside while Percy went into the sales office. The two salesmen inside were snug at their desks, avoiding the door and the March weather outside it. They offered Percy the key to the car and invited him to inspect it.
Percy looked over the car and liked it, but felt that the price was a little high. He discovered a flaw, a leaking gasket, and tried to barter down the price. The two salesmen laughed him off, saying they could easily fix such a small problem.
Percy returned their key but went out to look over the car again and consider it some more. Then he saw Thompson going into the office and decided to follow. Maybe his buddy could work a deal for him.
Thompson stepped through the door with Percy behind him and fired the nine-millimeter handgun at the first man behind his desk. It took several shots to kill him. The second man dove to the floor, but Thompson leaned down and shot him in the face.
While the men’s hearts fluttered with final beats, Thompson grappled with their bodies, seizing wallets and keys from their pockets. He threw these items into the center of the floor and ordered Percy to pick them up. “Open up that file cabinet, see if there’s money in there.” Percy obeyed quickly. The drawers did not stick as Crandall’s refrigerator had, but he found no other cash. The two drove away in Thompson’s El Dorado.
“No witnesses, no problems.” Thompson’s mantra was supposed to be reassuring to the smaller man, but Percy felt the shadow of his own death coming. There was one witness. Him. And he cowered, wondering when his neck would be broken, when his body would be ripped apart with bullets.
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Hi my name is Charles Alcorn Jr. and jerry was my uncle at one time.Glad someone shined a light on the serial killer named Jerry Thompson he was a monster the most scariest one I’ve meet also.Id love to read the book
Thanks, Charles. You probably remember the two innocent guys, Ralph Jacobs and Christopher Smith, who were coerced into confessing and pleading guilty to the murder of Wesley Crandall in New Castle. They went to prison, then were later exonerated and released from prison when it was discovered that Jerry Thompson actually killed Crandall.
Also, I got a call from an anonymous person in New Castle who told me that Jerry Thompson had killed an elderly woman there when he was a teenager. Know anything about that?
If you do, I will send you an autographed copy of “Beast of New Castle.”
Can order book from Wildblue Press or on Amazon.com.
Thanks,
Larry Sells
How are you allowed to use my father’s name in your book I am the son of Jack Ford and have not given any consent for my father’s name to be used in your book
Mr. Ford,
Jack Ford was only incidentally mentioned in the book as an acquaintance of Christopher Smith and Wesley Crandall. That information appeared in public records. There was no indication Jack Ford did anything which would cause him or you and your family embarrassment or concern.
Hope this answers your question. Did you enjoy the book?
Take care,
Larry Sells
He was a family member. Always scary and wasn’t shocked at what he had done.
Thanks for your email, Shamarie. I am sure you know more about Jerry Thompson’s past than I learned while prosecuting him. He definitely was a scary guy. His credo, “No witnesses, no problems,” pretty much says it all, like the saying, “Dead men tell no tales.” He seemed to enjoy hurting and killing people. I know for certain of five people he murdered in cold blood and was told of an elderly woman he killed in New Castle when he was a teenager. Do you know anything about that or any other instances of extreme violence and mayhem? There is evidence he was a sexual predator as well.
Take care,
Larry Sells
The Thompson’s brothers I knew Steve, David and Jerry were all sick and twisted.
He was indeed a sexual predator. Jerry Thompson lived with his brother Steve & my aunt Elaine (Steve was my uncle) in Indy. It was the one year Jerry attended high school at Warren Central where he was expelled because he beat up his English teacher (if memory serves). I am one of three (he told about two others in the neighborhood) boys that Jerry molested/raped. I was 9 years old at the time. Jerry was 16 and while in Indy, he joined the KKK (he showed me his clan robes once). He told me once that he’d killed someone (he claimed it was an accident & not his fault) and bragged once that at 16 he already had 3 children. Whether or not any of what he told me is true I do not know but it would now seem so. He also told me once about a lynching he claimed to have been a part of. The last time I saw him was in 1982 when he & his pregnant girlfriend showed up at my grandparent’s house & he came to the door & demanded to talk to my aunt. She followed him out to his car. I never saw him again until the night I saw him on the local news walking out of court after being sentenced (the picture above). He was as close to true evil even at 16 as I ever hope to be again. He was sociopath not a victim so spare me the de facto & too easy explanation that he was abused & poor & therefore destined to be a criminal. He was just fucking evil. Evil just exist. I’ve seen with my own eyes. His name was Jerry Thompson.
Thank you for your comment. The world is definitely better off without “The Beast!” Some day we should sit down and talk.
Larry Sells
I knew Jerry when I was growing up he lived on South 20 a block from my grandparents saw him kick a garage door open take the fishing poles I was 11 I asked why he said we need poles to fish dont we we Ants that was my nickname then. Then 4 years later I see him again and he try’s to throw me through the Newby Paul window it would have killed me if I had went through I knew the whole family.
Mr Sells,
I ordered your book and should receive it soon. I am one of the grandchildren of Melvin Hillis. Jerry K. Thompson caused a great deal of fear, anger and grief for my family. My grandmother barely slept after the murder until her passing. I personally was relieved hear he was murdered in prison. My brother, another grandchild, was a Texas Asst. District Attorney and tried about 20 murder cases in his career. He would have most likely have been the victim spokesperson. I would have gone with him but not happy to witness the execution. My grandfather was and still is one of my favorite people. Thank you for putting him away and giving us some peace.
Stacey,
It has been over 20 years since I prosecuted Jerry Thompson, but not many days go by that I do not think of that case and how it impacted those who loved your grandfather and Robert Beeler. It certainly impacted me! When I talked to those who worked at Hillis Auto, I saw how close they were to both, especially Mr. Hillis. They were not just employees; they felt like family. There was a special bond between all of them. That certainly speaks highly of your grandfather (Your grandfather actually testified at the trial! Will say no more about that. You will read it.) Had a chance to meet some of your family at the two trials. Great people. Felt bad they had to relive the horror and pain of the murders again in a second trial. But I felt compelled to try the case as many times as it took. Jerry Thompson belonged on death row for all the devastation he wreaked. And he belonged dead! I know, and am sure your brother would concur, that prosecutors should avoid being personally involved in cases. I could not help feeling emotionally invested.
Most of the first 130 pages of the “Beast” were written by my co-author Margie Porter. It deals with a murder in New Castle, Indiana. My contact with Jerry Thompson begins on page 131. I have prosecuted and convicted over 70 killers, and can honestly say that this is the only one of them in which justice was truly served.
Take care,
Larry Sells