In the summer of 2022, concern began to grow for 57-year-old Patrick Arthur White, a resident of Evansville, Indiana. Friends and neighbors realized they hadn't seen or heard from the White / Caucasian male since April of that year. After being formally reported missing on July 7, 2022, the Evansville Police Department began an investigation that would uncover a grim and unsettling story.
The initial welfare check on his apartment revealed disarray, but no immediate signs of a violent struggle.
The investigation took a dark turn in August 2022 when a tip led police to a residence on South Linwood Avenue. There, they made the gruesome discovery of Patrick White's body, concealed under a tarp and bound with twine. The Vanderburgh County Coroner's Office later confirmed that he had died from a gunshot wound. The focus of the investigation quickly shifted to finding the person or persons responsible for his death.
Following another tip, authorities zeroed in on 33-year-old Michael Logan Thomas. Evidence gathered at the scene, along with witness statements, pointed to his involvement. It was discovered that Thomas had been living in White's apartment for months after his death, telling visitors that he was merely house-sitting. An informant told police they overheard a conversation about Thomas needing help to move a body because it had started to smell. Upon his arrest, Thomas was charged with murder. During an interview with detectives, he admitted to being present during the killing but claimed his girlfriend fired the fatal shot. He also admitted to helping wrap the body and selling the handgun used in the crime.
The legal proceedings against Michael Logan Thomas were not straightforward. In July 2023, the initial murder charges were dismissed due to the disappearance of a key witness. However, this dismissal was 'without prejudice,' leaving the door open for charges to be refiled. In the interim, Thomas faced new charges of criminal confinement and domestic battery in a separate case. Prosecutors eventually refiled the murder charges against Thomas in November 2024. In the end, a jury found Michael Logan Thomas guilty of the murder of Patrick White. On May 30, 2025, he was sentenced to 75 years in prison, a sentence enhanced by his status as a habitual offender. At the sentencing, the judge noted Thomas's lengthy criminal record, his lack of remorse, and the horrific nature of the crime where he not only killed his victim but continued to live in the home with the decomposing body for several months.
