Cold Case Solved: The Murder of Mary Jane Thompson

Edward Morgan, 60, was arrested on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022 for the 1984 murder and sexual assault of Mary Jane Thompson, 21.

Thompson was an aspiring model who worked in a restaurant and at a florist shop at the time of her murder. She had only moved to Dallas, Texas six months before her murder. She was last seen Feb. 11, 1984 when she took a bus to Trinity Medical Clinic, however, the clinic was closed. Two days later (Feb. 13, 1984), she was found dead, strangled by her own leg warmers. Shortly after, the case went cold.

In 2009, the case was reopened by the Dallas police and DNA testing was performed. The DNA matched with a male suspect, but a specific suspect could not be identified and the case went cold again.

In 2018, the case was reopened. In 2020, the case was submitted for forensic genetic genealogy analysis, which identified Edward Morgan as the prime suspect and with more DNA testing, the swabs taken from the autopsy matched the DNA of Morgan and he was arrested.

Selena Tomasello, Thompson’s sister, wrote on Facebook, "Missing you sis on Friday when I got that call I been waiting 38 years for. He will be in jail for the rest of his life he is no longer free as a bird. I know you are looking down.”

Photo from: CBS News/Facebook