Larry Thomas: Difference between revisions
(New page: Larry Wayne Thomas (born May 22, 1951 in Jefferson County; died August 2, 1962 in Blount County) was a Midfield Elementary School fifth-grader who was kidnapped...) |
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Larry Wayne Thomas (born [[May 22]], [[1951]] in [[Jefferson County]]; died [[August 2]], [[1962]] in [[Blount County]]) was a [[Midfield Elementary School]] fifth-grader who was kidnapped and murdered. | [[File:Larry Thomas.jpg|right|thumb|Larry Thomas]] | ||
'''Larry Wayne Thomas''' (born [[May 22]], [[1951]] in [[Jefferson County]]; died [[August 2]], [[1962]] in [[Blount County]]) was a [[Midfield Elementary School]] fifth-grader who was kidnapped and murdered. | |||
Thomas was one of three children born to | Thomas was one of three children born to [[Buddy Thomas|Bernard E. "Buddy" Thomas]] and [[Tiny Thomas|Dora Obera "Tiny" Thomas]] of [[Midfield]]. | ||
One afternoon after a Little League baseball game, Thomas and another boy, Kim Canady, accepted a ride from | One afternoon after a Little League baseball game, Thomas and another boy, Kim Canady, accepted a ride from a stranger to get soft drinks. At a [[Fairfield]] drug store Canady went inside to buy the drinks. When he came back outside, the man had driven away with Thomas. | ||
Thomas was found dead | Thomas was found dead five days later by [[Oneonta]] police investigating the disappearance of a barber going by the name of George Workman. His body was found wrapped in a blanket and soaked in creosote in a shallow wall next to Workman's shack on [[Strait Mountain]] near [[Highland Lake]]. Thomas had been shot in the head. Workman turned out to be an alias for convicted felon [[Michael Mayola|Michael Anthony Mayola]]. He was captured in Baltimore, Maryland by FBI agents and extradited to Blount County to stand trial for murder. Contemporary reports differed on whether there was evidence of sexual assault. | ||
An armed crowd of about 2,000 people waited for him outside the [[Blount County Courthouse]], so officials instead transported him to the [[Etowah County]] jail to await trial. He pleaded guilty and was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. He has waived his right to parole hearings and remains incarcerated at Staton Correctional Center in Elmore County. | |||
Thomas is buried at [[Valhalla Cemetery]] in Midfield. Through a gift from the Benn family, owners of [[WVOK-AM]], the [[Larry Thomas Baseball Field]] at [[Midfield Park]] is dedicated to his memory. | Thomas is buried at [[Valhalla Cemetery]] in Midfield. Through a gift from the Benn family, owners of [[WVOK-AM]], the [[Larry Thomas Baseball Field]] at [[Midfield Park]] is dedicated to his memory. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
* [http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1842&dat=19620808&id=dB8sAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rsYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3514%2C4068358 | * [http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1842&dat=19620808&id=dB8sAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rsYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3514%2C4068358 Victim of Sex Slayer: Little Leaguers Pay Prayerful Respects to Dead Teammate. Mayola Being Held Pending State Warrant] (August 8, 1962) Associated Press/''The Florence Times'' | ||
* [http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20030322/NEWS/303220323?p=1&tc=pg&tc=ar | * Geno, Suzy Lowry (March 22, 2003) "[http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20030322/NEWS/303220323?p=1&tc=pg&tc=ar Notorious Blount killer waives parole hearing]" ''The Gadsden Times'' | ||
* Gray, Jeremy (February 3, 2018) "An Alabama child's tragic kidnapping and murder shocked America in 1962." {{BN}} | |||
==External links== | |||
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=86026462 Larry Wayne Thomas] at findagrave.com | |||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Larry}} | |||
[[Category:1951 births]] | |||
[[Category:1962 deaths]] | |||
[[Category:Murder victims]] | |||
[[Category:Valhalla Cemetery burials]] | |||
Latest revision as of 14:24, 5 February 2018
Larry Wayne Thomas (born May 22, 1951 in Jefferson County; died August 2, 1962 in Blount County) was a Midfield Elementary School fifth-grader who was kidnapped and murdered.
Thomas was one of three children born to Bernard E. "Buddy" Thomas and Dora Obera "Tiny" Thomas of Midfield.
One afternoon after a Little League baseball game, Thomas and another boy, Kim Canady, accepted a ride from a stranger to get soft drinks. At a Fairfield drug store Canady went inside to buy the drinks. When he came back outside, the man had driven away with Thomas.
Thomas was found dead five days later by Oneonta police investigating the disappearance of a barber going by the name of George Workman. His body was found wrapped in a blanket and soaked in creosote in a shallow wall next to Workman's shack on Strait Mountain near Highland Lake. Thomas had been shot in the head. Workman turned out to be an alias for convicted felon Michael Anthony Mayola. He was captured in Baltimore, Maryland by FBI agents and extradited to Blount County to stand trial for murder. Contemporary reports differed on whether there was evidence of sexual assault.
An armed crowd of about 2,000 people waited for him outside the Blount County Courthouse, so officials instead transported him to the Etowah County jail to await trial. He pleaded guilty and was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. He has waived his right to parole hearings and remains incarcerated at Staton Correctional Center in Elmore County.
Thomas is buried at Valhalla Cemetery in Midfield. Through a gift from the Benn family, owners of WVOK-AM, the Larry Thomas Baseball Field at Midfield Park is dedicated to his memory.
References
- Victim of Sex Slayer: Little Leaguers Pay Prayerful Respects to Dead Teammate. Mayola Being Held Pending State Warrant (August 8, 1962) Associated Press/The Florence Times
- Geno, Suzy Lowry (March 22, 2003) "Notorious Blount killer waives parole hearing" The Gadsden Times
- Gray, Jeremy (February 3, 2018) "An Alabama child's tragic kidnapping and murder shocked America in 1962." The Birmingham News
External links
- Larry Wayne Thomas at findagrave.com