12/19/1985 - Report #123 - Victim: Fred C. Harmon - Location: Maplewood, MO
MCS Report #123
Classification: Homicide
Requesting Agency: Maplewood Police Department
Date of Activation: 12/19/1985
Commander and Department: Sgt. Lawrence Layton, St. Louis Metropolitan PD
Deputy Report Officer and Department: Ptl. Earl Shelton, University City PD
Victim: Fred C. Harmon
Suspects: Terry Edward Wilson, Robert Allen Walls, and Tommy L. Thomas
The Maplewood Police Department requested the assistance of the Major Case Squad in investigating the death of Fred Harmon (age 88). At approximately 8:48pm, police officers responded to a residence in the 3200 block of Walter Avenue for a well-being check. The caller stated he had not seen his neighbor, Fred Harmon, since 12/14/1985.
When officers entered the residence, they found signs of a struggle. Fred Harmon’s body was located inside a freezer. His hands and feet had been tied with neckties and he had been placed head first into the freezer. Heavy objects had been placed on top of the lid of the freezer so it could not be opened. Additionally, all four stove burners were on and the pilot lights had been extinguished. Fred’s green 1976 Ford Maverick was missing.
An autopsy revealed Fred had suffered blunt force trauma (trauma to his head and limbs, broken ribs, and a bruised spleen), and had suffered from oxygen deprivation, and hypothermia. It is estimated Fred had been in the freezer for up to an hour before he died from either hypothermia or suffocation.
On 12/23/1985, Fred’s 1976 Ford Maverick, as well as Robert Walls, Terry Wilson, and Tommy Thomas were located in Santa Monica, California.
As a result of this investigation, Terry Wilson (age 19 - used to work as a handyman for Fred Harmon), Robert Walls (age 20), and Tommy Thomas (age 17 - charged as an adult) were charged with Murder 1st Degree, Robbery 1st Degree, and Burglary 1st Degree.
