| rdfs:comment | - Details: During the 1980s, race car driver Mickey Thompson was well known to race car fans, first breaking the 400 mph land speed mark, and then surviving a speedboat accident that left him paralyzed for a brief portion of his life. His pioneering designs changed the face of racing, and he had an extremely profitable stadium-racing venture, with his wife, Trudy, always at his side. They worked hand-in-hand to promote their many business ventures, but reportedly, one of these deals went bad and according to his sister, Colleen, he started getting death threats. Then, in the predawn hours of March 16, 1988, he and Trudy were in the driveway of their Bradbury home when they were brutally gunned down in cold blood.
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| abstract | - Details: During the 1980s, race car driver Mickey Thompson was well known to race car fans, first breaking the 400 mph land speed mark, and then surviving a speedboat accident that left him paralyzed for a brief portion of his life. His pioneering designs changed the face of racing, and he had an extremely profitable stadium-racing venture, with his wife, Trudy, always at his side. They worked hand-in-hand to promote their many business ventures, but reportedly, one of these deals went bad and according to his sister, Colleen, he started getting death threats. Then, in the predawn hours of March 16, 1988, he and Trudy were in the driveway of their Bradbury home when they were brutally gunned down in cold blood. Sheriff's investigators were quickly called to the scene, and ruled out robbery as a motive after they found $70,000 worth of jewelry on Trudy's body, and nothing appeared to be stolen from them. Investigators believed that they were victims of a contract killing, and that two black males that were seen by neighbors riding away from the crime scene on bicycles, were the killers, hired by an unknown assassin, possibly the person who threatened Mickey's life shortly before the murders. However, no suspects emerged. Suspects: One of the neighbors described the hired killers as two black men in jogging suits. They were both muscular in build with one of them a bit more stocky in size. They have never been identified. Extra Notes: This case first aired on the February 15, 1989 episode. The Thompson murders was also profiled America’s Most Wanted. Results: Unresolved. In December 2001, Michael Goodwin was arrested and charged with the murders of Mickey and Trudy. He was a former business partner of Mickey's, and when the business went bad, he and Trudy sued and won a civil judgement against him. Police claim that he then hired two hitman to kill them, and they now believe that he was the one that threatened Mickey shortly before his death. Recently, a witness came forward claiming to have seen him sitting in a station wagon before the murders and spying on them with binoculars in their neighborhood. However, the case was later dropped by prosecutors, but then in 2006, he was charged once again with their murders. In early 2007, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to two life terms without parole. However, the two hitmen who were allegedly hired by him have never been found. Recently, two new composites were made of them. It is believed that they fled to Pensacola, Florida after the murders, and then possibly to the Caribbean. There is a $1,000,000 reward leading to the arrest of each killer. Links:
* Mickey and Trudy Thompson on Unsolved.com
* Mickey Thompson on Wikipedia
* Mickey Thompson Website
* A Strange Turn in the Mickey Thompson Murders Case
* Guilty verdict in Thompson murder case
* Court upholds conviction in 1988 killing of racing great Mickey Thompson and his wife
* Mickey Thompson at Find a Grave
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