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Beverly Thompson

Beverly Thompson

Dyer man charged in wife's slaying

Liquor store owner, worker accused of murder

April 13, 2010

DYER | Burdened by thousands of dollars in recent gambling debts, the 61-year-old owner of a south suburban liquor store enlisted the help of an employee Friday to kill his wife in their Dyer home and make it look like a burglary, prosecutors alleged Monday.

Douglas A. Thompson, 61, of 632 Hillside Drive, and his employee Reginald Coleman, 56, of 1945 Hart St. in Dyer, were charged in the death of 62-year-old Beverly Thompson. Her daughter found Thompson dead about 6 p.m. Friday in the Hillside Drive home.

Douglas Thompson, who owns Torrence Discount Liquor and Deli in Lynwood, lost more than $62,000 at Majestic Star Casino in Gary between March 10 and Wednesday, and the investigation revealed his business is failing financially, according to a probable cause affidavit filed Monday. The daughter told police her parents lived together but argued a lot.

Police found Beverly Thompson on an upper level landing of the home in a pool of blood, with a large wound to the back of her head. Investigators said dresser drawers and closet doors were opened, but it appeared as though nothing inside was disturbed. Kitchen drawers were pulled out, but a purse and bank bag with more then $1,100 also were left untouched, according to the affidavit.

The Thompsons own the home where Coleman lives. There, police said they found bloody jeans that are the same brand, waist size and inseam as Thompson's while executing a search warrant Saturday. The jeans were at the bottom of a yard waste bag, along with socks and a shirt, investigators said. Several pieces of Beverly Thompson's jewelry were found hidden within a heating and cooling unit in a pickup truck at the Hart Street property, according to the affidavit.

Inside Coleman's residence, a T-shirt hung over a shower rod, a pair of tan pants were inside the washing machine and a pair of tan work boots in the living room were stained and smelled strongly of bleach, investigators said. When police removed the pants from the washing machine, Coleman started to get chest pains and was taken to the hospital, where he was medically cleared, the affidavit states.

Surveillance footage from a neighbor's house shows Thompson arrived home at 3:20 p.m. Friday and his wife arrived home about 25 minutes later, police said. At 4:32 p.m. Douglas Thompson was seen driving away from the residence, according the affidavit.

The daughter told police she last spoke to her mother by cell phone about 3:30 p.m.

The Lake County coroner's office said Beverly Thompson died of blunt force trauma to the head. The cause of death was ruled a homicide.

The couple had been married more than 40 years.

14 comments:

LindaS said...

I just saw her story on American Monster. I am so so sorry. RIP Beverly.

Unknown said...

I just watched this and OMG I grew up in the kind of Italian family I felt like I was watching my family. I am floored over how this ended I can not imagine what her daughter's went through her sister and brother.
My Mom was just like their Mom it's mind boggling. I would hate that man for eternity. Omg this just shocked me.
My heart is broken for those girls I will pray for them and those precious Grandchildren- they adored her and she them. May God keep this family in his warm embrace. RIP Beverly you were amazing

Unknown said...

Just saw the 2010 Thompson family story & murder on ID ,Go. So very sad ! Prayers for the Thompson family.

Unknown said...

What was the episode called

Anonymous said...

Just Out of Frame

Unknown said...

I've just watched this and it said that the handyman had no involvement in the murder!

Unknown said...

I live across the street from the liquor store, and went there for years. I've lived in the community since 1993. I didn't know why the store had closed for over a year. The family and employees were lovely people. Beverly was a beautiful friendly lady. One would never think Doug was capable of such hate against his wife and the family. The handyman also maintainded the grounds at the store, Lynwood Liquors. The shelves in the store were always full but the last few months before the murder were all but bare. The deli had a delicious menu but was rarely open towards the end. The type of Mom and Pop store where you'd stay and visit for a spell. Folks you could call your friends. So many meaningful conversations. The store was vacant until winter of 2019. It's now a Sports Bar. I haven't been yet. I haven't seen this ID episode. God Bless them and keep them.

Unknown said...

The handyman was innocent. This blog post needs to be updated.

Erica Pearson said...

The fact that little is discussed about the innocence of Mr. Coleman is sad. For Doug to kill his wife like that and try to blame his worker as well! Just evil.

Unknown said...

I just saw this and I have lived in Dyer, IN for 21 years! and never heard this they lived about 2 mins from my house just WOW

Anonymous said...

Oh! It was the black guy, (you know those angry people) that did it. How sad in more ways than one. RIP Beverly.
PS blogger feel free to erase my comment like you did before, I know it hits close to home.

Anonymous said...

Racist much? Plus the American Monster episode about this story said the handyman was cleared

Anonymous said...

I just saw the American Monster episode this morning. What I find appalling is that after two conflicting stories, they automatically ASSUME, the African American Mr. Reginald Coleman had to have been lying. With no proof, they obtain a warrant for his residence and it was granted. They assume it had to be the Black man who had no motive, to have murdered this white woman. It couldn't have been her whtie husband. And it didn't explain why he would have left her purse and money bag and other valuables and take a few pieces of jewelry. I hope Mr. Coleman had obtained an attorney and filed suit because there was racist motivation for that arrest.

Anonymous said...

Yep.

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