Thomas Wayne Crump was born in 1940 in the United States. Very limited information is available regarding his early life, upbringing, education, or employment history. Prior to the start of his criminal activities, Crump lived in various locations in New Mexico and Nevada. There were no significant public records indicating violent behavior during his early years, although he reportedly had previous encounters with the law before his involvement in murder cases.

Crump began his series of murders in July 1980. Between July and October of that year, he committed three separate killings across the states of New Mexico and Nevada. The victims and specific circumstances surrounding each murder were not heavily detailed in public reports, but all cases involved fatal shootings.

In 1981, Crump was arrested and subsequently convicted for the murders. He received a life sentence without the possibility of parole. However, in 1983, he successfully escaped from prison. While evading authorities, Crump committed a fourth murder.

Following the additional crime, Crump was recaptured and tried again. This time, he was sentenced to death in the state of Nevada. Despite the death sentence, Crump remained on death row until his death from natural causes on June 14, 2018. He died while awaiting execution.