Cannibal killer who ate heart of victim and chopped off his penis
In addition to executing the savage killings, he also dismembered his victims and set their bodies alight.
Over a seven-day period in September 2021, Jason Thornburg murdered David Lueras, 42, Maricruz Mathis, 33, and Lauren Phillips, 34, later claiming that the trio needed to be sacrificed for religious purposes.
During the lengthy trial, details emerged about what transpired at the Mid City Inn in Euless. The three victims were separately brought into the room Thornburg was renting and subsequently killed.
The killer slit the throats of two of the victims and strangled Phillips before sexually assaulting her dead body. He also consumed part of David's heart and severed his penis, reports the Mirror US.
Once the victims were deceased, Thornburg dismembered their bodies in the motel bathtub and stored their remains in rubbish bags under the bed.
In the early hours of September 22, the murderer then transported their body parts, which he had stored in plastic storage tubs, to a dumpster on Bonnie Drive in Fort Worth.
He placed the remains inside the dumpster, ignited them and drove off. Firefighters were summoned to the blaze and put out the fire where they discovered the victims' burnt bodies.
Law enforcement nabbed Thornburg for placing the bodies in the dumpster and igniting it, thanks to CCTV footage showing his Jeep Grand Cherokee nearby at the crucial time. He chillingly returned the containers used to the shop they were purchased from after meticulously cleaning them out.
The jury, swayed by the damning evidence presented during the trial, including the gruesome details of the motel incident, concluded that Thornburg posed an ongoing threat to society and handed him the death penalty. The decision was reached swiftly by the jury in just five hours, with Thornburg remaining silent as the verdict was delivered.
Following the verdict, the presiding judge declared: "Therefore, Jason Allen Thornburg, you have been adjudged by a jury to be guilty of capital murder. And the juror has answered the special issues making it mandatory that your punishment be death. Therefore, this court sentences you, Jason Allen Thornburgh, to death."
Thornburg's conviction and death sentence are automatically reviewed by the Court of Criminal Appeals. If confirmed, he will stay under state custody until his execution is enacted.
Death row inmates often wait years before their execution date is set.
In a startling twist, upon his arrest for the motel slayings, Thornburg shockingly admitted to police his involvement in two additional murders.
Thornburg is alleged to have confessed to law enforcement that he murdered his 61 year old flatmate, Mark Jewell, who died in a suspicious house explosion in May 2021, and his ex-girlfriend Tanya Begay in Arizona back in 2017.
Firefighters discovered Jewell's body following a gas explosion at the Fort Worth residence. Begay vanished in March 2017 after last being seen with Thornburg.
According to Fox 4 reports, the FBI still considers the case open as her body has never been found.
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The Journal
23-07-2025
- The Journal
Thousands of controversial Chinese surveillance cameras installed in public places across Ireland
IN GOVERNMENT CORRIDORS, hospital wards, university campuses and council offices across the country, thousands of CCTV cameras record the comings and goings of everyday life. But behind the lens is a brand at the centre of an international security storm – Hikvision. Banned from sensitive government sites in the UK, United States and Australia, The Journal Investigates can reveal how the Chinese surveillance giant's equipment is in widespread use right across Ireland. That includes over 700 cameras installed by councils. They record footage in swimming pools, courthouses and even a brand new Civil Defence HQ unveiled in Co Cavan last year. Despite multiple warnings from security experts over use of the equipment, no action has been taken by the government to either remove the devices or issue security advice over their use. Experts warn Ireland's current approach to the potential dangers posed by Hikvision raises urgent questions about data privacy, potential foreign access and the State's alignment with international partners. 'When it comes to things like security cameras, I think it would be naive to wave that aside and not at least have a very in depth conversation about the potential security risks,' Dr Edward Burke, UCD's assistant professor of war, told us. 'The EU has consistently warned member states to try and firewall critical security, critical national infrastructure, from companies threatening the European Union with mass espionage. 'And one of those countries that they have identified is, of course, China.' Two Hikvision cameras operating outside the Public Service Centre in Letterkenny Co Donegal. The Journal Investigates The Journal Investigates Investigations like this don't happen without your support… Impactful investigative reporting is powered by people like you. Support The Journal Investigates Cameras in maternity hospital and courthouse Concerns regarding use of Hikvision surveillance technology in Irish government buildings, including inside and outside Lenister House, were first raised in policy and academic circles in 2019. However, it wasn't until late 2022, when other countries such as the UK banned the devices from 'sensitive' government sites, that public focus shifted to Ireland's use of the security cameras. In a letter sent to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission , the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) called for removal of all Hikvision devices from government buildings. The February 2023 letter warned that 'the presence of Hikvision cameras in Irish public buildings represents an unacceptable risk to privacy, data security, and human rights'. More than two years on, Hikvision cameras remain installed both inside and outside the Oireachtas. Today, the organisation renewed it's call for the State to remove the cameras in a new report which coincides with extensive research by The Journal Investigates. Our investigaton, along with information gleaned from records supplied to our team by ICCL, exposes the true extent of their use. These records, obtained via Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, show that most councils in Ireland use Hikvision equipment in public and private spaces. Many told us that they had never received security advice on their use. That includes Cavan County Council, which owns and manages the county's new, state-of-the-art Civil Defence Headquarters and Training Centre. Officially opened by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment last year, the facility was billed as a flagship for modern emergency response. It was fitted with 15 Hikvision CCTV cameras as part of strict security measures around the site. The council confirmed to The Journal Investigates that these cameras are just a handful of the 135 Hikvision devices installed across council buildings countywide – including Virginia courthouse, the county museum and the main recycling centre. Advertisement A spokesperson said the local authority 'has not received any official advice against using cameras made by this company'. The Department of Defence, which contributed €150,000 to the HQ's construction, told us it has no oversight or input into the security provisions for Civil Defence units, leaving such decisions to the local authority. File photo of garda beside cameras at Leinster House. Councils cite lack of national security advice It's not just Cavan using the controversial CCTV systems. Councils in Meath, Kilkenny, Clare, Donegal, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and many more have rolled out hundreds more of these Chinese cameras in public spaces. Meath County Council confirmed it currently has 288 Hikvision cameras installed across public facilities, while Kilkenny County Council uses 151 Hikvision cameras at 17 locations. Just a handful of councils were able to confirm the exact number of Hikvision CCTV cameras currently in use on their sites – this amounted to over 700 across dozens of locations. Some councils, like Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, have even installed models with 'smart facial detection' and 'behaviour analysis' capabilities – though they state these features are not activated. Monaghan, Offaly, Longford, Sligo, Cork City and Wicklow also have similar Hikvision cameras. They too denied using any facial recognition technology inbuilt on the devices. Not all councils were able to provide The Journal Investigates with information on their current use of the surveillance cameras. Clare and Donegal, both identified in 2022 FOI research by ICCL as users of Hikvision, failed to respond to repeated queries from The Journal Investigates on whether they still use the devices. Our team checked and found Hikvision cameras outside Donegal County Council premises earlier this month. Many councils cited a lack of national direction as justification for continuing to use Hikvision products. Kilkenny County Council said it 'queried' security concerns with its supplier and received a letter from Hikvision's UK and Ireland HQ stating that 'its products present no threat to Ireland's national security'. Decisions by the UK, United States and Australia to ban the cameras were influenced by government reviews, parliamentary committee reports and security risk assessments. The UK ban was prompted by a Cabinet Office security review, while findings from the US Department of Defense, the Federal Communications Commission and other agencies, identified Hikvision as posing an 'unacceptable risk' to US national security. The company claims that 'no respected technical institution' has found evidence of security risks, and insists its products are compliant with Irish law. In a statement to The Journal Investigates , a Hikvision spokesperson said its products meet 'internationally recognized industry standards' for safety and security. 'Hikvision UK & Ireland does not decide where to install or maintain devices,' a spokesperson said. 'To be clear; we make the cameras and do not connect them to the end users' computer systems which cannot be accessed by any CCTV manufacturer, including ourselves.' The company added that it 'issues clear guidelines' for installers on how to secure its devices to third party networks and encourages industry best practices and 'proper cyber hygiene'. One of the main concerns raised about Hikvision is its links to the Chinese Communist Party and the threat of espionage and data harvesting by the Chinese state. Dr Kris Shrishak, a public interest technologist, told us many investors have red marked Hikvision, citing 'serious human rights concerns' and involvement 'in the suppression of Uyghur minorities'. A 2023 investigation reported a product from the company with 'Uyghur detection' features was detailed in a Chinese local government contract. Hikvision told The Journal Investigates it 'has never conducted, nor will conduct, any espionage-related activities in the world' and 'categorically opposes forced labour and child labour'. Government stays silent on security advice Following the British government's announcement it was to remove Hikvision cameras from sensitive locations, several councils across the UK followed suit. That includes Edinburgh City Council, which began phasing out use of the Chinese manufacturer's surveillance in late 2022. The Journal Investigates and ICCL both independently attempted to retrieve information on what security advice the government received in relation to Hikvision surveillance equipment. Sign up The Journal Investigates is dedicated to lifting the lid on how Ireland works. Our newsletter gives you an inside look at how we do this. Sign up here... Sign up .spinner{transform-origin:center;animation:spinner .75s infinite linear}@keyframes spinner{100%{transform:rotate(360deg)}} You are now signed up The Office of Public Works (OPW), which maintains security systems across the government portfolio, refused both requests on security grounds. Instead, a document titled 'CCTV Specification' was provided which details which brands of surveillance should be used within the government estate. Three brands made the list. One of those is Hikvision. When asked why this was the case, given security concerns around the brand, OPW and Office of the Taoiseach told The Journal Investigates it could not comment on security matters. Shrishak, who works as an Enforce senior fellow at ICCL, detailed his efforts since 2022 to obtain information from various government departments on their links with the Chinese surveillance manufacturer. He found that most requests were redirected to the OPW, which provided little to no information on the government's reliance on Hikvision equipment. ICCL's Kris Shrishak says many investors have serious human rights concerns about Hikvision. The Left in the European Parliament via Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 The Left in the European Parliament via Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 Over 400 cameras in Beaumont Hospital Our investigation also reveals how the reach of Hikvision extends beyond councils. Some of Ireland's largest hospitals – including Beaumont Hospital and the National Maternity Hospital – use Hikvision cameras in their security systems. Beaumont told us it currently uses 400 Hikvision cameras installed across its buildings. The Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin says 80% of its CCTV cameras are Hikvision-branded. While some hospitals told The Journal Investigates they have launched reviews of their systems after learning of the risks, most say they are satisfied their networks are secure and not connected to the cloud or external monitoring. There was also concern reported in recent years over the installation of Hikvision cameras in the new National Children's Hospital. Universities are also affected, with FOI records obtained by ICCL revealing that at least 15 higher education institutions use Hikvision equipment. This includes Dublin Dental University, the University of Limerick, Technological University Dublin and the Royal College of Surgeons. In statements to The Journal Investigates , each stated they were satisfied the devices did not present a security risk and confirmed that facial recognition capabilities were not being used. China identified as threat to the State Despite the international backlash, Hikvision points to the UK's continued use of its cameras at non-sensitive sites, and the Oireachtas Committee's decision to keep the cameras in Leinster House as evidence of their safety. Hikvision itself claims that 'regulatory clarity' in the UK and Ireland 'removes any confusion regarding our viability'. However, privacy advocates and security experts warn that Ireland is lagging behind its international peers in addressing the risks posed by foreign-made surveillance equipment. 'If you look at the latest defence review, it identifies China as a potential threat to the State,' UCD's Burke told The Journal Investigates . 'So we cannot look at China in a way that we look at democratic countries and anticipate that there is a significant degree of separation between the intelligence services and the private sector. In China, that's just not true.' Burke said that taking action to protect the State's national security and infrastructure does not mean Ireland cannot do business with China. 'Other European countries have had this conversation, but there are certain sectors of the State that may need to be off limits. 'The only way to decide that is having very sophisticated and regular security briefings to ensure that the infrastructure is not compromised,' he said. There needs to be a much greater degree of cross-cabinet, cross-government awareness of these types of security threats. 'It's also time to make security assessments more public when it comes to things like critical national infrastructure or security infrastructure in the State.' The Journal Investigates Reporter: Patricia Devlin • Editor: Maria Delaney • Social Media: Cliodhna Travers • Video: Nicky Ryan • Main Image Design: Lorcan O'Reilly (photo via Investigations like this don't happen without your support... Impactful investigative reporting is powered by people like you. Over 5,000 readers have already supported our mission with a monthly or one-off payment. Join them here: Support The Journal
Irish Times
15-07-2025
- Irish Times
CCTV shows Tom Niland entering shop two hours before men allegedly broke into his home
A jury has viewed CCTV footage of 73-year-old Tom Niland walking into a shop about two hours before three men allegedly broke into his home and assaulted him, leaving him with injuries that caused his death 20 months later. Garda Niall McDonald told the court he created a montage from hours of footage downloaded from various CCTV systems in Sligo and Mayo following the assault on Mr Niland on January 18th, 2022. Garda McDonald described the movements of a white van travelling around Dromore West and Ballina that morning and afternoon. He said the van appeared to be a Vauxhall Vivaro and he noted distinctive characteristics, including a yellow number plate, writing on the side and a green stain on the roof. Just after 1.30pm, a van with those markings pulled into Casey's garage in Ballina. The garda identified the driver as Francis Harman (58), of Nephin Court, Killala Road, Ballina, Co Mayo, and the passenger as John Clarke (37), of Carrowkelly, Ballina. READ MORE Tony McGillicuddy, prosecuting, previously told the jury that the prosecution intends to prove that Mr Harman, Mr Clarke and the man on trial, John Irving (31), of Shanwar, Foxford, Co Mayo, assaulted Mr Niland later that evening, leaving him with fatal injuries. It is further alleged that they stole Mr Niland's wallet. At Casey's, Garda McDonald said Mr Clarke put fuel into the van before entering the shop. From footage inside the shop, said the garda, Mr Clarke can be seen attempting to buy cans of alcohol at the till, but then returning the cans to the off-licence section of the store. He said Mr Harman entered the shop and engaged with staff and the manager before driving off. At 4.35pm, said Garda McDonald, Mr Niland arrived at Feeney's Centra in Dromore West, about 7.5km from his home. Between 6pm and 7pm, the prosecution alleges, Mr Irving, Mr Harman and Mr Clarke broke through Mr Niland's door, assaulted him and left. Garda McDonald said that at 6.01pm a van similar to the one driven earlier by Mr Harman, with Mr Clarke in the passenger seat, did a U-turn at an agri-store and travelled towards Mr Niland's house. The van was not seen again on cameras further along the same road, said the garda. Mr Irving faces four charges in total. It is alleged that he unlawfully killed Mr Niland by assaulting him at the victim's home at Doonflynn, Skreen, Co Sligo, on January 18th, 2022. Mr Niland was admitted to hospital after neighbours discovered him crossing the N59 covered in blood and with his eyes swollen shut. A doctor has told the jury that Mr Niland suffered bleeding to the brain, a fracture to the orb of his right eye and multiple fractures to the ribs on the right side. Despite initially making progress in hospital, he deteriorated on January 26th and required a ventilator to breathe. He died on September 30th, 2023, aged 75. Mr Irving is accused of entering Mr Niland's home as a trespasser and causing him serious harm. He is further alleged to have intentionally or recklessly caused serious harm to Mr Niland and to have falsely imprisoned him. Mr Irving has pleaded not guilty to all four charges.
Irish Daily Mirror
14-07-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Granny Ripper who killed and ate her victims' organs in gruesome ritual
An elderly Russian woman gained the chilling nickname 'Granny Ripper' after committing a series of horrific crimes, with as many as 11 victims falling prey to her. Tamara Mitrofanovna Samsonova infamously spiked her friend's salad with pills, decapitated her, and boiled her head among other terrifying offences. Born in 1947 in Uzhur, Samsonova appeared to lead a conventional life initially. After completing high school she pursued higher education at Moscow State Linguistic University. A subsequent move to St. Petersburg saw her wed Alexei Samsonov and spend 16 years working in a travel agency. However, 2000 marked a mysterious chapter when her husband disappeared, prompting Samsonova to approach the police with no success in locating him. He had seemingly disappeared without a trace. Fast forward to 2015, she even reached out to the investigative department of Fruzensky District in St. Petersburg with information regarding his vanishing. But in a grisly twist that same year, the sinister facet of Samsonova was shockingly unveiled. A horrific discovery was made by a passerby - body parts of her dismembered renter strewn on the street, reports the Mirror US. Then 68, she was captured on CCTV in the dead of night removing hefty plastic bags from her home, one of which is purported to have contained the severed head of a human being. Tragically, it's believed that these mortal remains belonged to Valentina Ulanova, age 79, who was renting from Samsonova and met an alarming demise. Official reports from the Russian Investigative Committee indicate that in July 2015 Ulanova died "on the spot" following Samsonova's lethal concoction of over 50 sleeping pills in her salad, proceeding to then mutilate her body. Samsonova made her way to Pushkin and sweet-talked a pharmacist into selling her phenazepam, a prescription drug, which she slipped into Valentina's most-loved Olivier salad. Later on, the fragments of Valentina were discovered bundled up in a shower curtain in the street. Authorities said: "Then, in order to conceal the committed crime, she dismembered the body of her victim and placed the parts in different places near the apartment block." It was reported the woman brutally dismembered her lodger with a handsaw because of "personal hostile relations" sparked by a "conflict with her friend". Unsettling rumours also circulated that she had cooked Valentina's head by boiling it in a pot. In court, Samsonova's behaviour was erratic; she even went as far as to blow a kiss to members of the press before admitting to Valentina's murder. Nevertheless, the content of a chilling diary entry shook many, hinting she might have taken the lives of 11 more people, potentially including those of her husband and her mother-in-law, who both vanished without leaving a trace behind. Her frail health, uncooperative demeanour, and the absence of more human remains meant additional charges became an impossible task. The Sun quoted a source as saying: "We may never know the extent of this granny's killings." When she was arrested in 2015, there were rumours she had killed her tenant, Sergei Potanin, in 2003. Sergei, from Norilsk and aged 44 at his time of death. Samsonova is accused of cutting his body up and then distributing parts of it around the city streets. Samsonova was under investigation for a staggering 15 deaths when cops stumbled upon a diary entry where she chillingly confessed "killed my tenant Volodya, cut him to pieces in the bathroom with a knife and put the pieces of his body in plastic bags and threw them away in the different parts of Frunzensky District." It emerged Samsonova may have been inspired by Andrei Chikatilo's book, the notorious serial killer responsible for nearly 50 murders between 1978 and 1990. A neighbour who had been close to her for 15 years revealed her obsession with Chikatilo, said: "She gathered information about him and how he committed his murders." During her court hearing for the murder of Valentina, Samsonova admitted to the judge: "I am guilty and I deserve to be punished." At 78, Samsonova reacted to the news of her continued detention by clapping her hands and grinning broadly. Yet, a forensic psychiatric assessment in 2015 deemed Samsonova a threat to both society and herself, resulting in her confinement to a specialist facility before being transferred for mandatory psychiatric care at a dedicated hospital in Kazan. In 2017, she received a life sentence to a psychiatric ward, with the court deciding that her mental disorder exonerated her from culpability for Valentina's death.
