Suspected Fort Worth serial killer to undergo mental illness examination before trial
A Tarrant County magistrate has ruled there is reasonable cause to believe suspected serial killer Jason Thornburg has a mental illness or intellectual disability.
Thornburg, 41, is accused of killing three people whose bodies were dismembered in Euless and burned in a dumpster in Fort Worth on Sept. 22. He confessed that he killed his roommate Mark Jewell, 61, by cutting his throat at their house in May and killed his girlfriend, Tanya Begay, 36, in Arizona in 2017, police have said.
Police arrested Thornburg on Sept. 27 in connection with the triple homicide.
In her ruling issued Tuesday, Mental Health Magistrate Judge Nelda Cacciotti ordered a mental health or intellectual and developmental expert to interview Thornburg to see if he has a disability. The order also asks for information about whether he received treatment recommendations or services in the past.
According to the order, the findings will determine whether Thornburg is competent to stand trial or if he will have to undergo a complete competency examination. A written report of the interview is to be provided to the Cacciotti no later than 96 hours after the order was issued.
Thornburg described himself as having in-depth knowledge of the Bible and believed he was being called to commit sacrifices, he told Fort Worth police before his arrest, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
This story was originally published October 20, 2021 at 4:21 PM.
