"Former JBER Airman sentenced to 32 years for killing roommate"

RallyPoint Shared Content — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 12:16:51 -0400

From: KTVA

ANCHORAGE – A man convicted of killing his friend and fellow airman with a hammer was sentenced to 32 years in prison on Friday.

Alaska Superior Court Judge Jack W. Smith sentenced 26-year-old former Airman First Class James Thomas to 50 years in jail with 20 suspended for the charge of second-degree murder in the beating death of 22-year-old Senior Airman Clinton Reeves. He also handed down two concurrent sentences of five years each with three years suspended for two charges of tampering with physical evidence.

Reeves was first reported missing April 23, 2012. His body was found May 8, 2012, by a trio of women walking along Skyline Drive in Eagle River, Anchorage police reported.

Terry Reeves and Judy Davis, Reeves’ parents, each gave a victim impact statement at the sentencing, according to court documents. They and other family members in Kansas and California coordinated a search effort with the U.S. Air Force when Reeves first went missing.

A joint investigation between the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the Anchorage Police Department led to Thomas’ arrest the same day Reeves was found. Thomas was initially charged with six counts of tampering with physical evidence and considered a person of interest, but a hammer covered in Reeves’ blood was later recovered from the back of Thomas’s truck.

In June 2012, a grand jury handed down an indictment of 11 charges against Thomas, including one count of first-degree murder, three counts of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree robbery, along with the evidence tampering charges. Thomas pleaded guilty to three of the charges in April 2014 as part of a plea agreement.

http://www.ktva.com/former-jber-airman-sentenced-to-32-years-for-killing-roommate-308/

Former JBER Airman sentenced to 32 years for killing roommate

KTVA Anchorage CBS 11 - First in Alaska. News, weather, sports, business and entertainment in High Definition.

Response by TSgt Melissa Post made Aug 18 at 2015 12:25 PM

TSgt Melissa Post — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 12:25:19 -0400

only 32 years??? Seriously whatever happened to capital punishment? He murdered him. So after 32 years, everything is all better? Yeah, tell that to the mom...

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 18 at 2015 1:39 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 13:39:42 -0400

What was the cause of him wanting to kill his roommate with a hammer? I mean, damn. That is some serious anger in that mind. But, IMHO, 32 yrs isn't enough.............unless it is 32 yrs in the most northern, inhospitable part of Alaska.

Response by SrA Marianne Santangelo made Aug 18 at 2015 5:07 PM

SrA Marianne Santangelo — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 17:07:19 -0400

Sad and devestating..Prayers for deceased victim and family...

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 18 at 2015 5:11 PM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 17:11:18 -0400

Why was any of that suspended?!

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 18 at 2015 8:17 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 20:17:16 -0400

Send him to the army and send him to Ft. Polk, LA, he will spend 32 years in Hell.

Response by CPL Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 2 at 2019 9:12 AM

CPL Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 02 Nov 2019 09:12:23 -0400

This would be a plea deal.