On June 12, 1986, Adrienne Askew, a 56-year-old African American woman, was found dead in her apartment in Claremont, a city within Los Angeles County, California. Her death was the result of a brutal attack—she had been raped and strangled. The crime bore the hallmarks of a serial offender who had terrorized elderly women across Southern California for decades. Adrienne lived in the same apartment where her 85-year-old mother, Isabel Askew, had also been found dead two years earlier.
Although Isabel’s body was discovered in a vineyard near Ontario International Airport and her cause of death could not be determined due to decomposition, investigators suspected she may have been another victim of the same predator.
Years passed without resolution, until cold-case detectives reopened the investigation. In 2009, authorities charged 73-year-old John Floyd Thomas Jr. with Adrienne Askew’s murder, along with several others. Thomas, an African American man, had previously been convicted of rape in 1978 and was known to target elderly women living alone. His modus operandi involved breaking into homes, raping the victims, and then strangling them—often covering their faces with bedding before fleeing.
DNA evidence ultimately linked Thomas to Adrienne Askew’s killing, as well as to six other murders committed between 1972 and 1986. These included the deaths of elderly white women in Inglewood, Los Angeles, and Lennox. Investigators believe Thomas may have been responsible for as many as 30 to 35 rapes and murders, earning him the moniker “Westside Rapist.” He was arrested and later pleaded guilty to seven counts of first-degree murder, including the killing of 56-year-old African American woman Adrienne Askew.
The arrest and conviction brought long-awaited closure to families who had waited decades for justice. Adrienne’s niece described Thomas as a sadistic predator and urged the court to ensure he never saw the light of day again. Her nephew recalled the emotional devastation the murder caused their family, particularly Adrienne’s brother, who had felt deep guilt for allowing her to live alone. Thomas was sentenced to life in prison, and investigators continue to examine other unsolved cases that may be connected to him.
