Charles Victor Thompson

Background

Charles Victor Thompson was an American criminal.

Thompson was born 13 June 1970. A TDCJ number was listed as 999306 and his date of birth was listed as 06/13/1970.

Thompson was previously employed in heating & air conditioner installation, electronics, exterminator, and as a laborer.

Other details

Thompson was described as “mild-mannered” and compliant in custody. On arrest, police said he was “too drunk to be interrogated” and he appeared intoxicated.

A Harris County Jail escape occurred after a parole meeting. Thompson claimed to be with the Attorney General's office and used a forged ID badge.

A federal manhunt followed. Marshals designated Thompson a federal fugitive to use its resources to find him and offered a $10,000 reward for his capture.

Jail staff errors were cited as contributing to the escape. Lt. John Martin said the escape resulted from “multiple errors” by jail personnel.

Authorities did not know who Thompson was talking to on the phone.

Thompson had a bicycle when he was arrested, and it was unclear how he got to Shreveport.

Authorities believed somebody helped him escape, including because his clothes were found behind another jail facility.

The offence

On 04/30/98 in Houston, Thompson got into an argument with a white male and a white female in her apartment.

The night before officers had been called to the same address and had escorted Thompson away from the residence.

Thompson returned early the next morning and kicked the door in.

Thompson shot the male, causing his death, and injured the female severely enough to require life flight to the hospital.

The female died one week later as a result of the shooting.

Thompson was convicted in 1999 for the shooting deaths a year earlier of his ex-girlfriend, Dennise Hayslip, 39, and her new boyfriend, Darren Keith Cain, 30.

Investigation

During the manhunt, U.S. Marshals received “several credible tips” that Thompson was in the area.

Police found Thompson about 8 p.m. on a pay phone outside a liquor store in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Thompson told officers, “You know who I am.”

Officers determined Thompson was too drunk to be questioned immediately.

Arrest

Thompson was arrested outside a liquor store in Shreveport, Louisiana, after slipping away from a Houston jail.

Thompson was recaptured some 200 miles away, and the arrest ended a massive manhunt.

Police acting on a tip found Thompson standing outside a liquor store in Shreveport.

Thompson identified himself as Charles Thompson when asked his name.

Thompson was too drunk to be interrogated Sunday night.

Authorities said Thompson offered no resistance when arrested.

Thompson waived extradition and also waived his right to counsel.

Thompson was transferred early Monday to the Caddo Parish Correctional Facility, where he was booked as an out-of-state fugitive and taken to the men's mental health unit.

Thompson was placed alone in a cell on an escape and suicide watch.

Timeline

• 04/30/1998 — Thompson kicked the door in, shot the male victim, and injured the female victim; the female died one week later as a result of the shooting.
• 05/05/1999 — Thompson’s status was “Sentenced to death on May 5, 1999.”
• 10/28/2005 — A second jury sentenced Thompson to death.
• 11/07/2005 — Police found and recaptured Thompson outside a liquor store in Shreveport while he was on a pay phone and intoxicated.
• 11/08/2005 — Thompson was back in Texas; he made an appearance before a Louisiana judge via video feed and waived his right to counsel and extradition; he was transferred to Texas and returned to Harris County Jail.

Trial

Thompson was convicted of capital murder in April 1999 in the shooting deaths of his former girlfriend, Dennise Hayslip, 39, and her friend, Darren Cain, 30.

He was sentenced to death.

The state Court of Criminal Appeals threw out the death sentence, ruling that Thompson’s right to an attorney had been violated during his trial.

On October 28, a second jury sentenced Thompson to death.

Thompson’s plea in the jail appearance included waiver of right to counsel and extradition.

Sentencing

Thompson received a death sentence in 1999.

The death sentence was thrown out by the state Court of Criminal Appeals because Thompson’s right to an attorney had been violated during his trial.

On October 28, a second jury sentenced him to death.

Appeals

Outcome

Thompson was sentenced to death on May 5, 1999.

He escaped from custody in Houston after parole-related events and was recaptured three days later outside a liquor store in Shreveport, Louisiana while intoxicated.

He was returned to Harris County Jail in Texas after being extradited.

Aftermath

The escape triggered fear among jurors and victims’ relatives regarding their safety.

John Martin said, “There’s no scenario under which he should be free roaming around on the street.”

John Martin also said, “He never should have got out.”

John Martin said: “To have him back in custody again, this is where he belongs.”

John Martin said: “There’s no scenario under which it’s even conceivable that someone who’s on death row could simply walk out of a jail.”

John Martin said: “It’s not the case that any force was used. He didn’t use a weapon. He simply convinced us to let him walk out the front door.”

John Martin said: “We do think that people helped him if for no other reason than we found his clothes back behind another jail facility.”

John Donaghy said, “There’s no way Chuck had the brain power for this,” and “He’s not the sharpest pencil in the box.”

John Donaghy also said: “My family can now go back to a normal living. They have been totally disrupted.”

John Donaghy said: “I figured he had enough common sense to stay hidden for a while,” and “It’s just ridiculous that he got out.”

John Donaghy said: “Donaghy said he expected Thompson would have been caught in Mexico, not Louisiana.”

Katrina Webber told CBS Radio News: “They said he was laughing, he didn’t look as if he was afraid or intimidated or upset in any way,” and “He just kind of laughed, and one employee said that he appeared to be drunk at the time, and that he was just kind of taking this whole thing as a big joke as they pulled him into the police car.”

Cindy Chadwick described Thompson as “mild-mannered” and “compliant,” and said: “So far, he has been no problem.”

Thompson told authorities as he waived extradition: “I don’t want to waste the taxpayers’ money in Louisiana.”

Jebran Siddiqui said Thompson was “some maniac kind of guy running around outside.”

Jebran Siddiqui said: “I was shaking, like shivering and everything, but I wasn’t losing my grip,” and “I think he was planning to come inside the store and, I don’t know, hold us hostage or something.”

Jebran Siddiqui said: “The man with a shotgun turned out to be an undercover police officer, and several other officers swarmed in and ‘took him down pretty brutally’ within three feet of the store, Siddiqui said.”

Marianne Matus said: “several credible tips.”

Marianne Matus said: “He appeared to be intoxicated.”

Marianne Matus said: “He was too drunk to be interrogated.”

Marianne Matus also said: “He offered authorities no resistance when arrested.”

Devin Donaghey told CNN: “I’m glad to know no one else was harmed,” and “I’m glad to know that he’s back in custody.”

Devin Donaghey called Thompson a “worthless piece of society.”

Devin Donaghey said sheriff’s deputies “dropped the ball” by letting Thompson escape, and said: “What happened should’ve never been possible.”

Steve Tiller with the U.S. Marshals Service said: “Even though Thompson’s arrest was very important, it was only a small part of the ongoing investigation into how he managed to escape the county jail.”

Thompson was booked on charges of being a fugitive from the U.S. Marshals Service and a fugitive from Harris County.

Barry Newton said Thompson had been booked as a fugitive.