John Floyd Thomas

Serial Killer

John Floyd Thomas Jr.: The Westside Rapist and Southland Strangler

Overview

John Floyd Thomas Jr. was an American serial killer and sexual predator responsible for the murders of at least seven women in Southern California. Investigators suspected him of killing many additional victims during two waves of attacks spanning from November 1972 through June 1986. Authorities connected Thomas to cases once attributed to two unidentified offenders known as the Westside Rapist and the Southland Strangler. Thomas primarily targeted middle-aged and elderly women, frequently selecting victims who lived alone. He entered residences through unlocked doors, open windows or other vulnerable access points. Many victims were sexually assaulted before being strangled, suffocated or otherwise killed. Blankets, pillows or pieces of clothing were sometimes placed over their faces or bodies. Several homes were also burglarized or deliberately disturbed, suggesting that robbery was sometimes used as a pretext or secondary motive. Thomas ultimately pleaded guilty to seven murders. Police believed that the same offender may have committed approximately 30 killings and numerous sexual assaults across Los Angeles County and the Pomona Valley. Because the available evidence was strongest in seven cases, however, those were the murders for which Thomas was formally convicted.

Early Life and Criminal History

John Floyd Thomas Jr. was born on July 26, 1936, in Los Angeles, California. His mother died when he was 12, after which he was raised at different times by an aunt and a godmother. He attended Los Angeles public schools, including Manual Arts High School. Thomas briefly served in the United States Air Force in 1956. His military service ended with a dishonorable discharge. Soon afterward, he was arrested in Los Angeles for burglary and attempted rape. He was convicted in 1957 and sentenced to six years in the California prison system. Parole violations extended his incarceration until 1966. His later criminal record included additional burglaries and sexual offenses. His method of entering women's homes during burglaries foreshadowed the conduct later associated with the Westside Rapist. Despite repeated encounters with the criminal justice system, authorities did not identify Thomas as the man responsible for the unsolved series of murders until decades later. ...

Confirmed Victims: (7)

Ethel Sokoloff Age: (68), Date of Death: 1972-11-25

Suspected Victims:

Ethyl Grimes Age: (81), Date of Death: 1974-05-13

Maye Scialesi Age: (72), Date of Death: 1974-11-07

Lucy Grant Age: (92), Date of Death: 1974-11-08

Ramona Gartner Age: (74), Date of Death: 1974-12-04

Sylvia Vogel Age: (71), Date of Death: 1975-03-22

Una Cartwright Age: (78), Date of Death: 1975-04-08

Olga Harper Age: (75), Date of Death: 1975-04-20

Effie Martin Age: (86), Date of Death: 1975-05-22

Leah Leshefsky Age: (63), Date of Death: 1975-10-29

Lilian Kramer Age: (67), Date of Death: 1975-11-14

Isabel Askew Age: (85), Date of Death: 1983-10-11

John Floyd Thomas Jr. - Wikipedia