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...State Fund, where Thomas worked from 1989 up until his arrest, they were unaware of his criminal history. Back when Thomas was hired, Vargen says, mandatory criminal-background checks weren't in effect (they were instituted for new employees in the mid-1990s). Now, in light of the case against Thomas, she says the human resources department is reevaluating whether to conduct criminal-background checks for employees hired before the mandatory practice went into effect...
Thomas is also charged with the rape and murder of Elizabeth McKeown, 67, in Westchester in 1976. And detectives believe that not only is he likely connected to additional murders, but he may in fact be the infamous "Westside Rapist" who terrorized the county in the 1970s. Cases associated with the Westside Rapist investigation with available, if partial, DNA profiles appear to match Thomas' DNA. At a news conference on April 30, police said they plan to file charges against Thomas for three Inglewood slayings 33 years ago, including that of Maybelle Hudson, and that they are combing through cold...
...believe he's very much connected to a lot of these cases based on the time he was in and out of custody, his location in regard to a lot of these crimes, the crimes we have proved against him already and the modus operandi on those crimes, [which] match the MOs on these crimes," says Detective Richard Bengtson of the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery Homicide Division, Cold Case Homicide Section, which cracked the case. "If we are able to prove even half of these cases, it would make him [one of] L.A.'s most prolific serial killers...
Thomas, who is being held on $1 million bail, will be arraigned on May 20 for the murders of Sokoloff and McKeown. He does not face the death penalty because the murders took place before the death penalty was reinstated in 1978, says Bengtson, the lead detective on the case. However, if Thomas is charged with subsequent crimes that took place in 1978 or later, the death penalty may be considered. Police feel confident that more victims will be identified. "It's just in its infancy stage, and it's only going to get bigger," says Bengtson. "We're just...
...Cynthia Wahl, recently laid off from the Telegram, also blogs at mom2mom. She had hoped to spend some time exploring business leads for a new future when she got word that her 14-year-old's middle school was shutting down after a confirmed case of swine flu. The prospect of the whole family being home all day - her husband works at home, too - was "kinda crazy," Wahl says, though she looked forward to some "quality time" with her sons. (See pictures of thermal scanners hunting for swine...