Christopher Thomas

Christopher Thomas was a resident of Brooklyn, New York. Public sources do not provide confirmed details about his birthdate or early life. Prior to the killings, he had a history of drug use and was reportedly involved in disputes related to his marriage. At the time of the murders, Thomas was suspected of using narcotics and was experiencing emotional instability. Witnesses testified that he had exhibited erratic behavior on the day of the crime. According to testimony, Thomas was jealous of a relationship between his wife and Enrique Bermudez, the homeowner and a convicted drug dealer. He had previously set fire to the residence he shared with his wife after she told him she was leaving him.

On 15 April 1984, ten people were shot and killed in a home in Brooklyn, New York, in what became known as the Palm Sunday massacre. The victims included two adult women, two teenage girls, and six children. The shootings occurred inside a residence owned by Enrique Bermudez. Most of the victims were shot at close range in the head with two handguns, and a total of 19 bullets were fired. The bodies were discovered in relaxed positions, with no signs of forced entry, robbery, or drug activity.

The victims were:

• Virginia Perez, 24, who was eight months pregnant and the girlfriend of Enrique Bermudez.
• Her sons, Eddie Lopez, 7, and Juan Enrique Lopez, 4.
• Carmen Perez, 20, and her sons Alberto Maldonado and Noel Maldonado, both age 3.
• Maria Isabel Perez, 10, cousin of Carmen Perez.
• Migdalia Perez, 14, sister of Carmen Perez.
• Betsy Bermudez, 14, and Marelyn Bermudez, 10, daughters of Enrique Bermudez.

The only survivor was Christina Rivera, an infant daughter of Carmen Perez. She was later raised by her grandmother and eventually adopted as an adult by Joanne Jaffe, a police officer who had been assigned to her case as a child.

In 1985, Christopher Thomas was convicted on ten counts of manslaughter. Although the jury initially found him guilty of intentional murder, the charges were reduced based on a finding of “extreme emotional disturbance,” which under New York State law downgraded the charges to manslaughter. The prosecution presented jealousy as a motive, citing Thomas's suspicion of his wife’s involvement with Bermudez. Witnesses testified that Thomas was seen behaving strangely in the area that day.

Thomas was sentenced to a term of 83 to 250 years in prison. Due to New York sentencing law, he was not eligible to serve more than 50 years. After serving approximately 32 years, he was released on parole in January 2018.