Bio

Frederick Henry Thompson was born in 1907. He grew up in Tasmania, Australia. Details about his childhood and family life are not widely available, making it hard to know exactly what his early years were like. However, it is known that he became a married man by the time he was 32.

In his adult life, Thompson had some legal troubles. He was convicted two times for indecent exposure. These convictions hinted at a troubling side of his behavior. Additionally, he spent time at Lachlan Park mental hospital, which indicates that he may have faced mental health issues.

Murder Story

Frederick Henry Thompson was convicted of murdering an eight-year-old girl named Evelyn Mary Maughan on August 15, 1939. Evelyn had disappeared after attending Sunday mass in Hobart, Tasmania. Later, her body was found by a visitor looking for a grave in a cemetery. Witnesses reported seeing a man pushing a pram toward that cemetery, which led police to Thompson.

At the time of his arrest, Thompson was a 32-year-old married man with a criminal history. He had two previous convictions for indecent exposure, and he had spent time in a mental hospital. During his trial, he was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death by hanging.

On February 15, 1940, he was executed at Hobart Gaol. The day before the execution, the Executive Council reviewed the case but decided not to grant him mercy. Reports indicate that Thompson faced his execution calmly. After he was hanged, a doctor examined his body and found that death was caused by dislocation of the cervical vertebrae. The coroner confirmed the cause of death as hanging, and Thompson was buried at Cornelian Bay. He remains known as the last man executed in Tasmania.