Bio

Thomas Wayne Mason was born on December 31, 1951. He entered into a marriage with a woman named Billie Jones. During their marriage, there were many issues. Jones reported that Mason was abusive and controlling. She described a violent environment where she felt unsafe. Eventually, she left him and took their daughter, Tabitha, with her. This separation was a significant event in Mason's life.

Mason attempted to reconcile with Jones but faced rejection. In a series of troubling events, he took their daughter away for two weeks before returning her. The situation escalated to the point where Mason opened fire in their home during a confrontation, but he was shot in return by one of Jones' relatives. The complexities of his relationships continued to grow.

Later, Mason married again. His second wife was Melinda Mason. Their relationship also deteriorated. Reports suggest that there were instances of violence and threats made during their marriage. Just before the tragic events that took place in October 1991, Melinda had separated from Mason.

In September 1991, a significant incident occurred where Mason held Melinda at gunpoint for over five hours. This standoff with the police highlighted his dangerous behavior and further strains in his personal life. The police, having previously been alerted to Mason's threats against Melinda, had begun keeping an eye on her home.

Murder Story

On October 2, 1991, Thomas Wayne Mason traveled from Tennessee to East Texas. He stopped at a pawn shop where he purchased a twelve-gauge shotgun and three boxes of buckshot ammunition. Mason then went to the home of Marsha Yvonne Brock and her mother, Sybil Mares Dennis, who were related to his estranged wife, Melinda Mason.

After waiting for Brock to return home from work, Mason followed her inside. He shot her in the head at close range. Sybil Dennis was in the house and tried to call for help when Mason shot her as well, injuring her severely before firing another round that killed her.

At 4:22 p.m., a dispatcher received a 911 hang-up call from the house. When she called back, she heard a woman scream for help and then heard a man’s voice tell her to hang up the phone. Shortly after that, the connection was lost. Police were dispatched to the scene, where they found the bodies of both women.

Mason returned to Tennessee the next day. He told several relatives he had committed the murders. He made comments suggesting he did not see the significance of his actions, stating, "I don't know what the big deal is, over just getting rid of a mother-in-law." Authorities arrested Mason soon after, and evidence collected included the shotgun used in the killings, which had blood matching the victims.

During his trial in 1992, Mason was found guilty of capital murder for killing Brock and Dennis. He received a death sentence, which was upheld through several appeals. Mason was executed by lethal injection on June 12, 2000. His last statement focused on his belief that he was wrongfully convicted, claiming a conspiracy against him.