Bio

Jay R. Thompson was born on October 28, 1963. He grew up in Indiana, where he faced a challenging childhood. Not much is known about his early life or family background. However, it is clear that he was still a teenager when his life took a serious turn.

Thompson's teenage years were marked by a lack of stability. At the age of 17, he found himself involved in serious criminal activities. On March 8, 1981, his life changed forever when he was involved in a violent crime that would lead to his arrest.

Before this incident, there were no reports of him being in trouble with the law. He was just a typical teenager living in Indiana. Eventually, the events of that night would define his future and lead to significant legal consequences.

Murder Story

On March 8, 1981, two victims, William Hilborn, aged 72, and Mary Hilborn, aged 65, were found dead in their home in Petersburg, Indiana. They had been stabbed multiple times. Richard Dillon was seen near the Hilborns' property around the time of the murders. When questioned by law enforcement, Dillon claimed he was not in Petersburg but was with his friend, Jay R. Thompson, in Princeton.

The murder weapon, a knife, was discovered in Thompson's car. Dillon later confessed that he and Thompson had planned to rob the Hilborns. They gained entry to the home under the pretense of needing to use the telephone. During the robbery, Dillon, armed with a buck knife, attacked both William and Mary. He threatened Mary with the knife and demanded money. After stabbing her initially, he cut her throat when she fell.

Thompson then used a folding knife to stab both victims to ensure they were dead. A pathologist later confirmed that the wounds matched the type of knife found with Thompson. Dillon testified against Thompson in court.

Thompson was tried as an adult despite being only 17 at the time of the crime. He was found guilty of murder on March 18, 1983, and initially sentenced to death. This sentence was later commuted to life in prison in 1986. After a review, he was resentenced to 120 years in prison by Special Judge Henry N. Liest.