Thomas Wayne Crump

Thomas Wayne Crump (1940 – June 14, 2018) was an American serial killer who committed three murders in the states of New Mexico and Nevada between July and October 1980. He was convicted of these crimes the following year and sentenced to life imprisonment, but he escaped from prison just two years later and killed a fourth victim. He was later sentenced to death in Nevada but died while awaiting execution.

Early life Thomas Wayne Crump was born in 1940 in Muncie, Indiana. In his teenage years, Crump teamed up with fellow teens Larry Morris and William Wagner, and formed a habit with them of stealing cars during the mid-1950s. In 1958, Crump was charged in his first serious crime, that of attempting to kill a woman who had a dispute with his mother in the past. A year later, Crump was accused of stealing four separate cars during the span of 48 hours. Crump avoided prison time for all of these offenses.

By 1966, Crump was a free man and had fathered a young boy. That year Crump was accused of robbing a hotel clerk. While in police custody he allegedly confessed to the crimes but refused to sign a piece of paper that stated he did. One of the employees working there was 16-year-old Rhonda Higdon, who took an immediate liking to Crump. She saw Crump as a mature, kind man, though she was unaware of his violent past.

On June 17, 1982, Crump was making a pumpkin pie in the prison's kitchen while chained with a 10-inch shackle. He was able to escape the shackles due to unknown circumstances and later escaped from the prison itself. Crump stole a car and a gun and drove back to Albuquerque. The bullets both bounced off his skull and Hewitt survived. Hours later Crump flagged down another cab, that being driven by 44-year-old Ian Smith. Crump attacked Smith who fought back. During their struggle Crump accidentally shot himself in his right shoulder, but was able to fight through it and also shoot Smith, killing him.

Crump stated that he "deserved the death sentence". In 1992 Crump was accused of stabbing another death row inmate who survived the attack.