Texas man admits to 5 killings, felt compelled to sacrifice

FORT WORTH, Texas (KETK/NEXSTAR) — A man has confessed to killing three people whose dismembered bodies were found in a burning dumpster in Texas, as well as his roommate and girlfriend, saying he felt compelled to sacrifice them, authorities said Tuesday.

Jason Alan Thornburg, 41, was arrested Monday on a capital murder charge in the deaths of three dismembered people whose bodies were found in a dumpster in Fort Worth on Sept. 22, police said.

Surveillance footage of his Jeep at the site of the burning dumpster led authorities to Thornburg.

The Jeep was later observed at a hotel in Euless, Texas, where surveillance footage showed one of the motel’s residents moving “plastic bins with what we believe to be body parts of our victims” into the car, Sgt. Joe Loughman of the Fort Worth police said at a news conference.

On Monday, Thornburg was located in Arlington and agreed to accompany the detectives to a police station for questioning, Loughman said.

“Once back at our office, Mr. Thornburg participated in a consensual interview with my detectives, during which time Mr. Thornburg admitted his involvement in the death of three individuals that were recovered in the dumpster,” Loughman said.

During an interview, Thornburg told officers that he had in-depth knowledge of the Bible and believed he was being called to “commit sacrifices,” according to the arrest warrant.

Thornburg also went into “intimate detail” about the crime and admitted to killing “another female, in another state,” according to police.

The three victims in the dumpster were found after Fort Worth fire responded to reports of a fire. Police identified one of the victims as 42-year-old David Lueras. The two unidentified victims were initially believed to be a young woman and a child, but Loughman said Tuesday that detectives now believe both were adult females.

Loughman would not comment on Thornburg’s motive. A police affidavit cited by the Associated Press said Thornburg felt compelled to sacrifice the victims.

Thornburg is currently being held at Tarrant County Jail on a $1 million bond.