Authorities have now revealed additional information about the suspects’ chilling plans and the violent encounter that led to her death, including disturbing text messages shared by the suspects after the murder, according to the Post Millenial.
They also disclosed that the alleged murder weapon had been used in an armed robbery just days earlier, and that all six individuals have now officially been charged with both the murder and the robbery.
The suspects include Asael Torres-Chirinos, 21; Jarby Ardon Ramos-Odari, 18; Jeyson Sobied Pineda-Salgado, 17; and three minors, aged 13, 14, and 15. Federal immigration officials have confirmed that all six are in the country illegally.
Deputies with the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office responded to the call on a Friday night and found Thompson dead in her car, which was stopped in the middle of a rural road. Investigators say the suspects had been prowling the area looking to rob someone and surrounded Thompson’s vehicle as she drove by. That’s when Torres-Chirinos allegedly opened fire, killing her instantly.
New information presented during a court hearing in May revealed that five of the suspects exchanged text messages in the aftermath of the murder that displayed a blatant lack of remorse for the victim. The group wrote phrases like “mission fail” and “this is just the beginning,” showing a shocking disregard for human life, Sheriff’s Office deputy Justin Weiland revealed.
Investigators linked the weapon used in the shooting to a burglary at the Van Wyck Mart that took place just days before Thompson’s killing. A SWAT team later executed a search warrant at Torres-Chirinos’ home, where they seized the 9 mm handgun believed to have been used in both crimes.
All six suspects are now charged with murder, attempted armed robbery, and second-degree burglary. Prosecutors have announced plans to try the three teenagers as adults, alongside the three older suspects. Torres-Chirinos, who investigators say fired the fatal shot, faces extra charges for possessing a firearm as an illegal alien.
“Ms. Thompson was going about her business on a Friday night, not bothering anyone. All of a sudden, these six men and boys, out to get something for nothing from someone they did not know and had no business bothering, pulled alongside her car, and Torres-Chirinos opened fire, killing Ms. Thompson. There’s no place in our society for acts like this or the people who commit them, and my hope is these six are never again among us,” Sheriff Barry Faile said in a statement on the case.
These new details highlight the cold-blooded planning that went into this senseless crime. They also serve as a grim reminder of the dangers posed by illegal immigrants who come into our communities and commit violent acts. While the legal process continues, Thompson’s family and the wider community are left grappling with the pain and loss of an innocent life, stolen in an act of calculated brutality.
