A monster Texas dad murdered his 7-year-old adopted son and stuffed his lifeless little body in a washing machine because the child ate his donut sticks.
Jemaine Thomas, 45, will now spend 50 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to the gruesome killing of little Troy Koehler on July 28, 2022.
“I need to get the [locks]. I’m going to end up kill[ing] him,” Thomas fumed in text messages before acting upon his threats, according to prosecutors.
The little boy’s dead body was found in a bloodied top-load washing machine, according to KPRC 2.
Koehler suffered from asphyxiation, blunt-force trauma and possible drowning.
He was also bruised and had injuries to his face.
Koehler’s “beloved” first-grade teacher, Sheryl Reed, delivered a heartbreaking account of her former student in a Harris County court on Wednesday.
“Now, we will never know what he could have become. His future, his dreams, his life — were stolen by someone who was supposed to love, protect, and nurture him,” Reed said.
“Today a reader, tomorrow a leader. That was always Troy. He loved reading. If he finished early, he’d head straight to our class library. Then he’d go right back to share those stories with classmates…always lifting others up with the joy he carried,” she added.
“But Troy wasn’t just leading his classmates — he led me, too. He led me to become a better teacher, a better mentor, and a better person. His energy, his smile, and his love for learning reminded me daily why I chose this path.”
Koehler’s adoptive mother Tiffany Thomas, 38, also pleaded guilty to her lesser charge of injury to a child in connection with the little boy’s death. Her sentencing hearing is slated for Sept. 10.
Thomas threatened to shove Koehler in an oven if he didn’t confess to eating some of her oatmeal cream pies, according to KPRC 2.
The couple adopted Koehler in 2019 and the family had a history with Child Protective Services, according to the local media outlet.
