The terrible murder of North Carolina resident Gary Thomas, which was found by the authorities over two years after it occurred, is the subject of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Diabolical: Living Off the Dead.’
Furthermore, further inquiry uncovered a harrowing storey of identity theft and financial fraud. Are you curious to learn more about this bizarre case? Let’s find out everything we can.
What Caused Gary Thomas’ Death?
42-year-old Gary Wayne Thomas was a Greenville, North Carolina resident. He was a member of the affluent Thomas family, who owns Thomas Built Buses, a firm that distributes school buses throughout the United States.
He was also the beneficiary of a $1 million trust fund administered by Wachovia Bank. Gary’s grandfather had set up the fund a few years ago, and he received monthly donations from it ranging from $1,500 to $3,000 in his checking and savings accounts.
Gary lived in a Greenville apartment complex in 1996, when he met fellow neighbours George Kalomeris and his wife, Noreen.
Gary, on the other hand, vanished in July 1996 and changed his residence to Maryland, withdrawing substantial quantities of money from his fund on a regular basis.
His remains were discovered by the police two years later, on November 18, 1998, much to everyone’s astonishment. His assailant had shot him and killed him.
Recommended: Unsolved Mystery of Ashley Yamauchi’s Murder: Who Killed Her And How Did She Die?
Who Killed Gary Thomas And Why?
Thomas Wayne Jones, a Milford, Delaware resident, was discovered naked in a field on August 15, 1997.
He was conscious despite his injuries and informed the police that George Kalomeris had shot him in the neck.
George’s father and stepmother owned property near Thomas’ home, and the two had known each other for a long time.
After sneaking into Thomas’ house on August 13, 1997, George shot him in the back of the neck and then left him to die in a nearby field.
He then cleaned up all the evidence before breaking into the house and stealing several collectible gold coins, a chequebook, and bank account information.
George was discovered living with Noreen in Silver Spring, Maryland, by the police. On August 20, 1997, he was arrested for attempted first-degree murder on New Hampshire Avenue.
Gary’s bank records were discovered during a check of George’s home, and they were linked to the former and his wife.
George pretended to be Gary and sent a letter to the Wachovia Bank on July 15, 1996, informing them that he had relocated from Greenville to Maryland. He also sent a letter to the bank, asking for money for a trip and a car.
George and Noreen fabricated and cashed seven cheques totaling $18,055 from Gary’s account for their own advantage between November 1996 and August 1997.
By May 1997, they had also taken $4,015 from his account via ATMs in suburban Maryland. Then, after learning that Thomas had survived the shooting, George ordered a hit on him while in prison at Montgomery County.
Norman Ellis, a fellow inmate, told the police in October 1997 that George had contacted him and offered him $10,000 to kill Thomas. Norman requested that George deliver a $500 deposit to a P.O. box set up by the cops in order to support his claim.
Five $100 dollars arrived in an envelope at the P.O. box on October 14, 1997, with the return address of Noreen and George’s Silver Spring residence. Thomas died as a result of his injuries from the gunshot in September 1998.
According to the investigation, George befriended Gary while they were both residing in the same apartment complex in Greenville from 1994 to 1996.
He heard about the latter’s trust fund and financial assets during chats and resolved to assassinate him and assume his identity. Both men were using marijuana when George shot Gary and concealed his body in July 1996.
He then proceeded to obtain Gary’s financial records, terminate his health insurance, and sell his automobile for $5,000.
George and Noreen stole money from Gary’s account for two years after convincing the bank that he had relocated to Maryland. When they ran out of money, George intended to assassinate Thomas for his wealth and then do the same to himself.
Read Also: ‘Peter Theriault’ Murder Case: Where Is ‘Judy Valot’ Today?
What Happened to ‘George and Noreen Kalomeris’ And Where Are They Now?
George Kalomeris was charged with the killings of Thomas Wayne Jones and Gary Wayne Thomas in Delaware, and he pleaded guilty to an 18-count indictment in 1999, which included homicide, a solicitation to commit murder, money laundering, and bank fraud.
On November 18, 1998, he pointed the police locate Gary’s skeletal remains as part of his plea agreement.
For both murders and all additional offences, George was sentenced to 395 years in prison. On October 10, 2015, at the age of 59, he died while serving his sentence.
Bank fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit bank fraud have all been charged against Noreen Kalomeris.
However, after pleading guilty to all charges, she received a reduced sentence. She is currently 51 years old and living in Silver Spring, Maryland, as far as we know.
