Man convicted of killing and dismembering 3 people in Texas is sentenced to death

Jason Thornburg listens to closing arguments in the sentencing phase... — Jason Thornburg listens to closing arguments in the sentencing phase of his trial on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Credit: AP/Amanda McCoy

By The Associated PressUpdated December 4, 2024

FORT WORTH, Texas — A Texas jury on Wednesday sentenced a man to death for killing and dismembering three people whose bodies were found in a burning dumpster in Fort Worth in 2021.

The Tarrant County jury found Jason Thornburg, 44, guilty of capital murder last month in the deaths of David Lueras, 42, Lauren Phillips, 34, and Maricruz Mathis, 33. According to his arrest warrant, Thornburg confessed to police about the killings.

“He is evil," prosecutor Amy Allin told jurors.

According to Thornburg's arrest warrant, he also told police he had killed his roommate and girlfriend.

The roommate, Mark Jewell, 61, was found dead in a house fire earlier that year. Thornburg's girlfriend, Tanya Begay, a Navajo woman from Gallup, New Mexico, went missing after taking a trip to Arizona with Thornburg in 2017.

He told officers he had in-depth knowledge of the Bible and believed he was being called to “commit sacrifices,” according to the arrest warrant.

Thornburg's attorneys had argued that he should be found not guilty by reason of insanity.

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