Justin Thurber was sentenced to death by the State Of Kansas for the kidnapping, sexual assault and murder of a college student
According to court documents Justin Thurber would stalk nineteen year old Jodi Sanderholm before he would kidnap, sexually assault and murder the young woman.
Jodi Sanderholm body would be dumped in a wooded area and not found for several days
Justin Thurber would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death
Justin Thurber Photos
Justin Thurber FAQ
Where is Justin Thurber Now
Justin Thurber is incarcerated at the El Dorado Correctional Facility
When Is Justin Thurber Execution
Justin Thurber execution has not been scheduled
Justin Thurber Case
On Friday, January 5, 2007, following a late morning practice with her Cowley Community College Tigerette dance team, J.S. was reported missing. As police searched the Arkansas City area, suspicion quickly focused on Thurber.
That evening, a police officer saw Thurber’s car parked near his parents’ house. Thurber’s father invited the officer inside to speak with Justin Thurber. When asked about his whereabouts, Thurber said he drove his car to Winfield to meet a friend earlier that day; once there he and his friend met two people his friend knew, but whom Thurber did not know. He said the four drove around rural areas in a car belonging to one of the friend’s friends until the car got stuck on a dirt road near Cedar Vale. Thurber said he started walking alone toward Arkansas City.
He eventually called his father, who picked him up. Thurber’s father confirmed getting Justin Thurber, who was wet and muddy, a little over a mile west from Cowley County State Fishing Lake. Thurber told the officer some friends drove his car back from Winfield. After getting the car, he said, he picked up his paycheck at Subway, where he worked.
That same evening, officers spoke with Alexis Swartzell, who recently ended a three-year relationship with Thurber. She told officers Thurber often took her to the Kaw Wildlife Area, southeast of Arkansas City, and she pointed out places she and Thurber would visit.
On Saturday, January 6, 2007, Detective Eric Mata arrested Thurber on a bond revocation and suspicion of criminal trespass because the investigation into J.S.’s disappearance showed Thurber had been on the college campus, where the detective believed Thurber was not supposed to be. Thurber told Mata he wanted to speak with his attorney.
Also that evening, officers searched Thurber’s parents’ house. Officers collected the shoes Thurber wore when his father picked him up the day before. The shoes were wet and drying on a towel. Thurber’s father told police he helped Thurber clean mud off the shoes.
By Sunday, January 7, 2007, searchers trained in identifying human activity in rough country looked for J.S. near the Kaw Wildlife Area. They found matching impressions of Thurber’s shoes. They also saw tracks nearby that appeared to be impressions left by flip-flop sandals. As evening approached, the search stopped for the day.
On the way home, some searchers drove past Cowley County State Fishing Lake and decided to stop because they heard Thurber was wet when his father picked him up. They discovered a muddy tire track, muddy shoeprints near a public restroom, mail addressed to J.S.’s parents in a chemical toilet, dance shoes in another toilet, and a flip-flop sandal. Investigators later retrieved cutoff sweat shorts, a wallet containing J.S.’s driver’s license and social security card, her black leotard, a Tigerette jacket with J.S.’s first name on the front, a vehicle floor mat, and a car seat cushion. The sandal matched the impressions found at the Kaw Wildlife Area. Searchers spent the next two days around Cowley County State Fishing Lake and the Kaw Wildlife Area.
On Tuesday, January 9, 2007, divers located J.S.’s submerged car in the lake. Officers recovered another flip-flop sandal matching the earlier one. At the Kaw Wildlife Area, searchers found J.S.’s naked body in a wood pile.
The State charged Thurber with two alternative counts of capital murder: one alleging J.S. was the victim of attempted rape and the second alleging she was the victim of aggravated criminal sodomy. The State also charged Thurber with one count of aggravated kidnapping and filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty based on a single aggravating circumstance—the murder was committed in an especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel manner. See K.S.A. 21-4624(a) ; K.S.A. 21-4625(6).
