Mother Kills Husband Asks Kids To Help Move Sawed-Off Body Parts
Oct 14, 2023, 01:00 AM
A 36-year-old mother from LaPorte, Indiana, Thessalonica Allen, has been sentenced to spend 63 years in a state correctional facility for the brutal slaying of her husband, Randy Allen.
LaPorte County Circuit Court Judge Thomas J. Alevizos delivered the severe sentence following a swift trial in which a jury found Allen guilty on multiple charges, including murder, abuse of a corpse, and altering the scene of a death.
The jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes in July before reaching their verdict. Judge Alevizos, [Al-uh-VEE-sohs] in his sentencing decision, emphasized the aggravating factors in the case, stating that they far outweighed any mitigating elements. These aggravating factors included evidence of premeditation both before and after the tragic event and a stark lack of remorse on Allen's part, as documented in court records.
Judge Alevizos underscored the significant psychological impact on Allen's two young children, who were forced to participate in the gruesome aftermath of their father's murder. He noted that Allen even went so far as to place blame on her youngest child.
The grim events unfolded on July 27, 2021, when Allen fatally shot her husband inside their family home while their children, under 16, were present. The children reported hearing a "loud bang" and discovering their mother lying on the floor, urging them not to call 911 and sending them back to their rooms.
Later that night, Allen woke her children and instructed them to assist in moving their father's lifeless body outside the house and into his car. However, the weight proved too much for them to handle. Subsequently, Allen resorted to even more macabre methods to dispose of the body.
According to the children's statements to detectives, Allen acquired cleaning supplies and an ax the following day, using it to dismember Randy Allen's corpse. She then enlisted the help of her children in placing the body parts into a tote bag. Despite their efforts, the body remained too heavy for them to move. Allen allegedly expressed her intention to drive to a location in South Bend, where she planned to set the body on fire.
The police became involved when a man, who had been in a previous relationship with Thessalonica Allen and was the father of one of the children, reported the gruesome situation. He claimed that Allen had called him, alleging that Randy Allen was abusing their child. Upon arriving at the apartment, the man discovered Randy Allen's lifeless body, prompting Thessalonica Allen to confess to the murder.
Despite being asked to assist in moving the body, the man declined and asked to be driven back home. During the drive, he claimed that Allen threw a gun out of the car window. Thessalonica Allen was later located by police in the parking lot of an Ace Hardware store in LaPorte, where she tearfully confessed to killing her husband. She claimed it was in self-defense after he allegedly choked her.
In a chilling revelation, Allen admitted to cutting off Randy's legs when she couldn't fit him into the tote bag. The children corroborated this account during police interviews. The argument leading to the murder allegedly stemmed from Randy Allen confronting Thessalonica about a website she had been using, though no specific details about the site were provided.
During the trial, Allen's defense attempted to mount a claim of self-defense, alleging that Randy Allen had lunged at her during the fight. Prosecutors countered by revealing that Thessalonica Allen had lied to obtain a protective order against her husband. Additionally, investigators found a handwritten note in the apartment outlining tasks related to getting rid of Randy Allen's body, further suggesting premeditation.
The note said:
1. Spray s— in face, hit him in right knee w/ hammer
2. Hit w/hammer/stab him
3. Roll body up in sheets & plastic bags
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LaPorte County Circuit Court Judge Thomas J. Alevizos delivered the severe sentence following a swift trial in which a jury found Allen guilty on multiple charges, including murder, abuse of a corpse, and altering the scene of a death.
The jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes in July before reaching their verdict. Judge Alevizos, [Al-uh-VEE-sohs] in his sentencing decision, emphasized the aggravating factors in the case, stating that they far outweighed any mitigating elements. These aggravating factors included evidence of premeditation both before and after the tragic event and a stark lack of remorse on Allen's part, as documented in court records.
Judge Alevizos underscored the significant psychological impact on Allen's two young children, who were forced to participate in the gruesome aftermath of their father's murder. He noted that Allen even went so far as to place blame on her youngest child.
The grim events unfolded on July 27, 2021, when Allen fatally shot her husband inside their family home while their children, under 16, were present. The children reported hearing a "loud bang" and discovering their mother lying on the floor, urging them not to call 911 and sending them back to their rooms.
Later that night, Allen woke her children and instructed them to assist in moving their father's lifeless body outside the house and into his car. However, the weight proved too much for them to handle. Subsequently, Allen resorted to even more macabre methods to dispose of the body.
According to the children's statements to detectives, Allen acquired cleaning supplies and an ax the following day, using it to dismember Randy Allen's corpse. She then enlisted the help of her children in placing the body parts into a tote bag. Despite their efforts, the body remained too heavy for them to move. Allen allegedly expressed her intention to drive to a location in South Bend, where she planned to set the body on fire.
The police became involved when a man, who had been in a previous relationship with Thessalonica Allen and was the father of one of the children, reported the gruesome situation. He claimed that Allen had called him, alleging that Randy Allen was abusing their child. Upon arriving at the apartment, the man discovered Randy Allen's lifeless body, prompting Thessalonica Allen to confess to the murder.
Despite being asked to assist in moving the body, the man declined and asked to be driven back home. During the drive, he claimed that Allen threw a gun out of the car window. Thessalonica Allen was later located by police in the parking lot of an Ace Hardware store in LaPorte, where she tearfully confessed to killing her husband. She claimed it was in self-defense after he allegedly choked her.
In a chilling revelation, Allen admitted to cutting off Randy's legs when she couldn't fit him into the tote bag. The children corroborated this account during police interviews. The argument leading to the murder allegedly stemmed from Randy Allen confronting Thessalonica about a website she had been using, though no specific details about the site were provided.
During the trial, Allen's defense attempted to mount a claim of self-defense, alleging that Randy Allen had lunged at her during the fight. Prosecutors countered by revealing that Thessalonica Allen had lied to obtain a protective order against her husband. Additionally, investigators found a handwritten note in the apartment outlining tasks related to getting rid of Randy Allen's body, further suggesting premeditation.
The note said:
1. Spray s— in face, hit him in right knee w/ hammer
2. Hit w/hammer/stab him
3. Roll body up in sheets & plastic bags
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com