A Tarrant County jury sentenced Jason Alan Thornburg, 44, to death for the 2021 killings of three people—David Lueras, 42, Maricruz Mathis, 33, and Lauren Phillips, 34—in a brutal and methodical series of crimes. Thornburg was convicted of dismembering the victims' bodies and setting them on fire in a dumpster after killing them.
In September 2021, Thornburg claimed the murders were "sacrifices" made for religious reasons. Over seven days, he lured each victim into a rented room at the Mid City Inn in Euless. Inside, he murdered Lueras and Mathis by slitting their throats, while Phillips was strangled and sexually assaulted after death. Thornburg also consumed parts of Lueras' body, including his heart, and mutilated him further.
Assistant District Attorney Emily Dixon said, "They were all lured to their death in that hotel room," as she described the horrifying nature of the crimes.
Once the victims were dead, Thornburg dismembered their bodies in the motel's bathtub, storing the remains in trash bags under his bed. "What he did was methodical and sadistic," said Assistant District Attorney Kim D'Avignon. "Hurting people is something he likes to do."
On the morning of September 22, 2021, Thornburg transported the body parts in plastic tubs to a dumpster on Bonnie Drive. After disposing of the remains, he set them on fire and returned the tubs to the store where he had purchased them. Firefighters responded to the scene, and police later tracked Thornburg through a video that captured his Jeep Grand Cherokee near the dumpster.
Thornburg had been seen earlier reading the Bible outside his motel room. "He knows scripture well. It's his weapon of choice," said Assistant District Attorney Amy Allin. "He uses it to get vulnerable people to lower their guard. He will be the friend who gives you a place to sleep, right before he cuts your throat."
D'Avignon emphasized the perverse use of religion, stating, "You know who else knows the Bible? The devil."
Thornburg’s violent history also includes confessions to the murders of two other people: his roommate Mark Jewell in May 2021 and his girlfriend Tanya Begay in Arizona in 2017.
Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells praised the prosecution team, saying, "Kim, Emily, and Amy's team represented the State thoroughly and did an outstanding job in securing the death penalty for Jason Thornburg."
He also acknowledged the emotional toll on the jury, thanking them for their dedication despite the disturbing details presented in the trial. "We believe we have played a role in beginning to end this nightmare for the families of his victims and, certainly, prevented more harm from this evil man."
DA Investigators Caleb Blank, Scott Giovannelli, and former investigator Pauline Fitzgerald, along with victim coordinators Elizabeth Garcia and Allison Bowen, were instrumental in bringing Thornburg to justice.
