A St. Louis man has been charged with first-degree murder more than three years after the death of his partner, the mother of his child. According to KSDK, FOX 2, and First Alert 4, 34-year-old Karl Mayberry was arrested on May 7 and charged in connection with the shooting death of 31-year-old Alvatyne Thomas in December 2021.
The court document reveals chilling details about Thomas’ death. On December 27, 2021, police were called to a home on Oregon Avenue for a welfare check. There, they found Thomas’ body with a plastic bag taped around her head, swelling on her forehead, a severed ear, and multiple defensive wounds. The scene was further disturbed by bleach having been poured over her body.
At the time of the investigation, Mayberry told police that he was at work when Thomas was killed. However, his coworkers told investigators that Mayberry had left for several hours that day and returned wearing different clothes, looking visibly distraught. This raised suspicions.
Investigators also found something significant on Mayberry’s phone—online searches made around the time of Thomas’ death. Among the searches were terms like “first-degree murder defenses” and “can ‘he say, she say’ be used against a person for murder in Missouri.” These searches appeared to be made by Mayberry in the hours surrounding Thomas’ death, raising red flags for detectives.
Additionally, the court documents reveal that Mayberry allegedly messaged someone after Thomas’ death, stating that she was “found dead in the kitchen with a plastic bag wrapped around her head.” This message was sent before any details of the case had been made public. Mayberry also reached out to a criminal defense lawyer, inquiring about the cost of representation in a murder case.
Thomas’ family members told police that she had been in an abusive relationship with Mayberry, who is the father of her youngest child. Her older sister, Dewanna Coleman, spoke to First Alert 4, sharing her heartbreak after learning of the charges. “I love her and I miss her. Just torn. I never would think Christmas would’ve been my last day seeing her,” Coleman said. She added that she had suspected Mayberry’s involvement from the beginning. “I already knew he had a part in it. There was nobody else that would do that to her.”
Cheneish Johnson, Thomas’ other sister, expressed a mix of emotions. While she felt a sense of relief knowing the charges were filed, she also acknowledged the deep pain her family still carries. “She’s gone, and we’ll never get her back. The kids will never see her again, yet he still gets to eat, take a bath, use the bathroom,” Johnson told First Alert 4.
Court records show that Mayberry is currently on probation for previous convictions, including assault and being a felon in possession of a firearm. As of now, he is being held without bond at the St. Louis City Justice Center, awaiting further legal proceedings.
Don’t Miss These:
- Quick 20 Minute Dinner Recipes That Actually Taste Good
- Whoopi Goldberg Walks Off The View Table, Saying Producers ‘Threw That Admiral Right Under the Bus’
- Instagram CEO orders staff back five days a week in push for a ‘Winning Culture’
- Easy DIY Home Improvement Projects for Beginners
- ‘We’re Paying for Our Own Vote’ Ranchers Blame Trump Decisions for the Bankruptcies Hitting Their Communities