In the small town of Cordell, Oklahoma, a quiet community was shaken by a senseless act of violence that unfolded on July 20, 2017. Inside her home, 36-year-old Tammi Thomas, a mother and a nurse, was fatally shot. Her 14-year-old son, Christian, was also shot and critically wounded in the attack but ultimately survived his injuries. The tranquility of the neighborhood was shattered, leaving residents in fear and disbelief that such a tragedy could occur in their close-knit town.
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investigation into the brutal crime led law enforcement to an unlikely suspect: a 14-year-old boy named Blaize Teague. Investigators discovered that Teague had entered the Thomas home through an unlocked window with the intention of killing Christian. During the commission of this act, Tammi Thomas was shot and killed. Evidence found at the scene, including information from Teague's Instagram messages expressing his desire to harm Christian, linked him to the crime.
Blaize Teague was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, shooting with intent to kill, and first-degree burglary. Despite his age, he was tried as a youthful offender. In October 2018, Teague pleaded guilty to the charges. He was subsequently sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for the murder of Tammi Thomas and the attempted murder of her son, in addition to a 20-year sentence for the burglary charge. The tragic event left a lasting scar on the Cordell community, forever changing the lives of the families involved and leaving friends and neighbors to grapple with the shocking loss.
