Teen Killed An Elderly Woman, Then Allegedly Murdered Another Years Later. Why Remains A Mystery To Police.
An Oklahoma teen killed an elderly woman. Before authorities solved the cold case, he allegedly struck again four years later.
Now, the possible serial killer will remain behind bars for one killing and awaits his fate on the other.
Recently, an Oklahoma judge handed Antoine Thomas, now 19, a life term in prison with the possibility of parole for the brutal death of 83-year-old Ikuko George. After a five-day trial, Thomas was found guilty and convicted by a jury of first-degree murder.
On March 7, 2016, Oklahoma police responded to the 3100 Block of S.E. 54th Street, near Bryant Avenue, after a taxicab driver requested authorities to perform a welfare check on his client. George was well known to be organized and strict regarding her doctor’s appointments.
However, this time, she never came out of her house.
When police arrived they discovered a horrific scene.
“When officers went to the residence, they found her inside. She was deceased. She had trauma to her body consistent with being a victim of a homicide,” said Oklahoma City Police Master Sgt. Gary Knight, according to Oklahoma News.
- After years of abuse, she finally kicked her boyfriend out of her home. Days later, he came back and killed her.
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Investigators exhausted all leads, and the case went cold with no arrest. However, four years later, their persistence paid off, leading them to Thomas, who was 13 years old at the time of the murder, reported Koko News.
As authorities searched for the defendant, they discovered he was already behind bars for another alleged homicide of an elderly woman, Sara Cleveland.
In May 2020, after being alerted of a fire outbreak, authorities responded to the home along S.E. 44th and Sunnylane. Oklahoma City firefighters found the body of 78-year-old Cleveland. During the investigation, an autopsy report established that Cleveland’s death was due to homicide before the fire started at home.
That time, Thomas was arrested soon after and charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree arson.
The motive for both slayings remains unclear.
Thomas’ trial for Cleveland’s murder is set for October.
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