In the quiet town of De Queen, Arkansas, a horrific crime shattered the community's sense of peace on June 14, 2004. On that day, Mona Lee Branson Shelton, a 46-year-old female, was found murdered at her business, the Cornerstone Monument Company. She was not the only victim of the day's violence; a customer, Donna Marie Willis Cary, aged 45, was also discovered deceased at the scene.
Both women had been shot in the head, their lives abruptly ended in an act of brutal violence that would unravel into a multi-state crime spree.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly pointed to a single suspect, Mickey David Thomas, who was 30 years old at the time. Evidence revealed that Thomas had entered the monument company with the intent to rob it. During the commission of this crime, he shot both Mona Shelton and Donna Cary in an execution-style manner. Following the murders, Thomas fled the scene, setting off a chain of events that would lead to his eventual capture. A description of a man matching Thomas's appearance leaving the scene in a distinctive vehicle was broadcast to law enforcement in the area.
The ensuing manhunt crossed state lines into Oklahoma. A high-speed chase ultimately led authorities to a residence in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, where the getaway car was found. Although Thomas initially evaded capture at this location, he committed another crime shortly after, stealing a different vehicle at gunpoint. This second carjacking provided law enforcement with a new lead, and they were able to apprehend him following another pursuit. Inside the vehicle he was driving, police discovered purses belonging to his victims, directly linking him to the murders at the monument company. It was later revealed that Thomas's violent acts were not confined to this single day; he was also a suspect in another murder and a rape and robbery that had occurred in Oklahoma.
Mickey David Thomas's criminal history was extensive, including prior convictions for kidnapping and robbery, for which he had served a nine-year prison sentence, having only been released a year before the murders of Shelton and Cary. In the aftermath of his capture, he was charged with two counts of capital murder. His trial was moved to Pike County, Arkansas, where a jury found him guilty. For the brutal slayings of Mona Lee Branson Shelton and Donna Marie Willis Cary, Mickey David Thomas was sentenced to death.
