On January 26, 1989, Thomas Probst was found dead in his home in Fair Oaks, California. The tragic discovery was made by Donald Hobbs, a ten-year-old boy who lived in the house with his mother, Jeanine Copeland, and her companion, Thomas Probst. After finishing his breakfast, Hobbs found Copeland lying on the floor with blood next to her head and was unable to awaken her.
He promptly called 911, leading to the arrival of sheriff's deputies who discovered the bodies of Copeland, Probst, and another victim, Patrick Mungavin.
The forensic investigation revealed that Jeanine Copeland had been shot at close range, with the bullet entering her right temple and exiting on the left side of her neck. This wound caused an immediate loss of consciousness and death within minutes. Copeland's blood tests showed evidence of methamphetamine use. Patrick Mungavin was found seated on the living room couch with multiple gunshot wounds, including a fatal wound to the back of his head. A loaded .22-caliber handgun was found under his left armpit, but there was no evidence that it had been fired. The forensic pathologist estimated the time of death for both Copeland and Mungavin to be between midnight and 6 a.m. on January 26.
Thomas Probst's body was also found at the scene, and his death was similarly attributed to gunshot wounds. The forensic pathologist estimated the time of Probst's death to be between midnight and 5 a.m. on January 26. Probst's blood tested positive for Valium and methamphetamine. The investigation into the murders revealed that they were part of a larger robbery spree across California and Arizona, during which six other people were killed.
The primary suspect in the case was James David Majors, who was eventually arrested and charged with the murders of Thomas Probst, Jeanine Copeland, and Patrick Mungavin. Majors was found guilty of first-degree murder and first-degree robbery. The jury also found that Majors had personally used a firearm during the murders and the robbery. Special circumstance allegations that Majors committed the murders during the commission of a robbery and that he committed multiple murders were also found to be true. As a result, Majors was sentenced to death.
The case went through various legal proceedings, including appeals and petitions for relief. In 1998, the California Supreme Court affirmed the judgment in its entirety, upholding Majors' conviction and death sentence. Subsequent legal challenges focused on issues such as the potential failure of the prosecution to reveal a witness's memory problems, the defense counsel's failure to investigate and present certain evidence, and claims of juror bias. Despite these challenges, the courts ultimately upheld Majors' conviction and sentence.
