Thomas Lee Thompson

Though they had known one another only for a short time, James O’Holerand and Thomas Lee Thompson lived together in a remote area near Stonewall, Chickasaw Nation. Sometime in September 1883, O’Holerand went missing. In such a remote area, the disappearance of an outsider could have been concealed.

However, Thompson’s frequent expressions of concern about him and the inconsistent stories of his absence drew attention. Subsequent investigation and questioning led to further evidence and, ultimately, a confession of sorts. O’Holerand, Thompson claimed, attacked him and was killed in self-defense.

Thompson was convicted of murder on February 22, 1884, and sentenced to death on April 28. He was hanged at Fort Smith on July 11, 1884.

Author: Bill Lofquist

I am a sociologist and death penalty scholar at the State University of New York at Geneseo. I am also a Pittsburgh native. My present research focuses on the history of the death penalty in Allegheny County (Pittsburgh), Pa. This website is dedicated to collecting, analyzing, and sharing information about all Allegheny County cases in which a death sentence was imposed. Please share any questions or comments, errors or omissions, or other matters of interest related to these cases or to the broader history of the death penalty in Allegheny County. View all posts by Bill Lofquist