A jury in Tarrant County has handed down the death penalty to Thornburg, 44, for what he chillingly referred to as the “human sacrifices” of three individuals: David Lueras, 42, Lauren Phillips, 34, and Maricruz Mathis, 33. This decision reflects the jury’s outrage over the heinous nature of the crimes.

In addition to these murders, Thornburg has allegedly confessed to the murder of his girlfriend, Tanya Begay, aged 36, and his 61-year-old roommate, Mark Jewell. Although he was indicted for Jewell’s death, he has not been charged in connection with Begay’s case, which remains open as her body has not been recovered.

In September 2021, the Fort Worth Fire Department responded to a dumpster fire outside a business located on Bonnie Drive. Upon extinguishing the blaze, firefighters made a horrifying discovery: three bodies that had been burned and “heavily dismembered.” This shocking find marked the beginning of a gruesome investigation.

Later that same month, authorities arrested Thornburg, and as the investigation progressed, more disturbing details about his actions came to light.

During a press conference, Fort Worth Murder Unit Sgt. Joe Loughman stated that investigators tracked down Thornburg by reviewing security footage near the dumpster, identifying a 2005-2010 black Jeep Grand Cherokee. They cross-referenced this with a list of 7,000 vehicle owners in the vicinity and found a familiar name: Jason Thornburg, who had a history with local law enforcement.

Thornburg’s name had previously surfaced in connection with an investigation into the suspicious fire-related death of his roommate, Mark Jewell, back in May. However, at that time, police lacked probable cause to arrest him.

After surveilling the vehicle, authorities discovered that Thornburg was residing at the Mid City Inn Motel in Euless. Reviewing the security footage from that location, they observed a guest leaving a room on the night of the fire, carrying plastic bins that were believed to contain body parts of the victims. This unsettling discovery gave investigators a crucial lead in the case.

When the police approached him, Thornburg agreed to come in voluntarily for questioning. Once at the station, Sgt. Loughman reported that Thornburg confessed to his involvement in the three murders and provided graphic details about how he committed these horrific acts. Additionally, he allegedly confessed to killing Jewell, and even Begay.

According to the arrest affidavit, Thornburg claimed that Lueras arrived at his motel room five days before the bodies were discovered. Believing Lueras required a “sacrifice,” Thornburg stated that he slit his throat and dismembered him in the bathtub. Initially, he disposed of the remains in trash bags before switching to Rubbermaid-type containers for storage.

Just two days later, a woman he knew, whom he described as “a very small Hispanic female,” appeared at his motel room. He similarly “sacrificed” and dismembered her in a manner consistent with his previous acts. Two days after that, another female acquaintance arrived, and he initially attempted to stab her but eventually resorted to strangulation.

When questioned about Jewell’s death, Thornburg claimed he also “sacrificed” him by cutting his throat. Following that, he reportedly uncapped the natural gas line and lit a candle in the room. When asked if he had committed any other sacrifices, he informed investigators that he had also killed his girlfriend in Arizona.

The affidavit reveals that authorities were able to identify Lueras due to the letters “UERAS” still visible on a large back tattoo, as well as a penis implant that was recovered from the remains. This gruesome detail highlights the severity of the investigation and the lengths taken to identify the victims.

The disturbing details continued to emerge throughout Thornburg’s trial, coming to light through witness testimony and powerful closing statements from the prosecution.

Thornburg allegedly confessed to consuming parts of Lueras’ heart and mutilating his body, including cutting off his penis, as well as sexually assaulting the corpse of Phillips. These horrific admissions painted a vivid picture of his depraved actions.

“We do not use words like cannibal just for shock value. We use it because he ate David’s heart. We do not casually use the term sadist; we use it because [Thornburg] engaged in sexual acts with Lauren’s torso and mutilated David’s body,” prosecutors stated during their closing arguments, according to FOX 4.

“We use the term sadist because he is the type of person who would engage in sexual acts with Lauren while the bodies of Maricruz and David lay beneath his bed,” the prosecution added. “He could be aroused in a moment where two bodies were hidden beneath his bed.”

The defense claimed that Thornburg suffered from schizophrenia and argued that he should be found not guilty by reason of insanity. This defense strategy aimed to highlight his mental health issues as a significant factor in his actions.

“He believed he did the right thing by committing what he thought was a horrible sinful sacrifice. The voices he heard were not justified; they were evil in nature, but he believed they were correct,” the defense contended. “It’s bizarre, but that is his belief; he thought his sacrifices were justified, and we must remember this as a society.”

“You as jurors must decide whether we can execute someone who was psychotic at the time of these acts. You must ask yourselves if executing someone who was delusional aligns with our values as a civilized society,” they urged the jury.

According to Texas law, death sentences are automatically subject to appeal, ensuring that the judicial process continues even in such severe cases.