The Ocala man who was arrested and charged with attempting to murder a law enforcement officer Thursday was later charged in the shooting death of his mother, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office report says.
After Malcolm J. Thomas was apprehended and charged with shooting at Marion County Patrol Corp. Alan Hewett, a manslaughter charge was added in the death of Pearlie Mae Thomas.
Hewett had been watching the house as part of a death investigation when Thomas shot at him and the then fled, the report states. The 28-year-old Thomas was apprehended a short time later and charged with attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. He was being held at the Marion County Jail on a $95,000 bond.
Later Thursday, the sheriff’s office released a second report showing the manslaughter charge with no bond. The report says that Thomas shot his mother in the chest during an altercation with his brother, Kado. The report says that multiple deputies responded to the shooting call at the residence, located at 7900 NW 39th Avenue Road.
According the report, a witness who was inside the house told deputies that she witnessed the confrontation between the two brothers over who was going to use the home’s spare bedroom. The witness told deputies that Malcolm Thomas picked up a pistol, walked outside and fired it several times while yelling for his brother to come outside and fight. The witness said Malcolm Thomas then came back inside the house and fired several more shots.
The witness said that while the brothers were fighting over the firearm, Malcolm Thomas fired the round that hit his mother as she was trying to break up the fight.
The report says that Malcolm Thomas’ girlfriend, Alexis Murray, tried to get him to leave with her before the altercation broke out. But she said Thomas got more upset and yelled at her, accusing her of not supporting him during arguments.
Murray said that she was outside the residence washing up from a bucket of water when she heard multiple gunshots come from inside the house, the report states. She said she was running back to the house when Kado Thomas came out and told her that his brother shot their mother, the report says.
Alexis said she went inside the house, retrieved her cell phone and car keys and then called 911. She said she went to her car, where Malcolm Thomas was waiting for her.
Murray said Malcolm Thomas told her to drive away, but she said she was overcome with emotion and stopped her car near NW 39th Avenue Road and State Road 326. She said Malcolm Thomas yelled at her, then fled on foot.
Another brother, Brandon Thomas, told deputies that he kept a 9 mm pistol in a lockbox in a dresser in his mother’s room. He said that Malcolm Thomas knew about the gun, but didn’t have permission to use it, as he is a convicted felon.
After the shooting, Brandon Thomas said he called 911 and started rendering care to his mortally wounded mother. He said he checked the dresser drawer and discovered the pistol and the lockbox were missing.
After Malcolm Thomas was taken into custody, he told deputies numerous stories, including one blaming Kado Thomas for the shooting, the report says. He also told deputies that he left the house to recover another gun so that he could “kill Kado.”
During a search of the residence, several 9 mm shell casings were found in the backyard and hallway area of the home, the report says. There also were bullet holes in the ceiling/roof, as well as a single shot in a television set, which is believed to have been caused by the bullet that killed Pearlie Mae Thomas. The empty lock box also was found in Malcolm Thomas’ room, the report states.
