2 PA men indicted on two separate murders
Published 4:26 pm Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Two Port Arthur man were indicted by a Jefferson County grand jury for two separate murders.
James Earl Holloway, 18, was indicted in the March 4 murder of Kevon Jeffrey Washington, 18.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Holloway and Washington had an ongoing disturbance and Holloway used females to communicate with Washington by mobile device in order to get Washington to come to the Lake View Palms Apartments, 5200 Gulfway Drive under the impression he was going to engage in a sex act with one of the females.
When Washington arrived at the complex and met with the female, it is believed Holloway was lying in wait. Washington was accompanied by two females, at which time Holloway approached him. Holloway shot Washington as he tried to run away. The victim falls and Holloway stood over him and shot him multiple times, according to police.
Holloway was arrested in mid-November after he was picked up by police at a local apartment complex. He was seen using crutches as he left to an awaiting squad car from the back door of the police station. Det. Mike Hebert said Holloway was using crutches because he had been shot in an incident in Louisiana. PAPD is working with Louisiana officials in that investigation.
He is being held without bond.
The grand jury also handed down an indictment for OC Thomas, 69, of Port Arthur in the Oct. 24 shooting death of Michael Lynn Thomas (no relation).
The victim, Michael Lynn Thomas, 56, suffered a gunshot wound to the torso area around 1:47 a.m. at or near the Fabric Care Washateria, located at 2925 25th St.
Michael Thomas was known to sleep at night with other homeless people at the washateria. He was transported to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont, where he was pronounced dead.
Police believe OC Thomas’ son had been involved in a verbal disturbance with the victim earlier in the day and went home and told his father. The two returned to the washateria; there, the suspect exited the passenger side of the vehicle, opened the front door to the business and fired one shot with a shotgun, striking the victim in the abdomen, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Michael Thomas was described as having a mental illness and was known to police.
OC Thomas is known to be a violent offender with a history of crime in the New Orleans area prior to his arrival in Port Arthur, police said.
Bond for OC Thomas was set at $1.5 million.
An indictment is not a final conviction of guilt; it is only a ruling by the grand jury that allows the district attorney’s office to proceed with a criminal case.