Idaho : Thomas Sherwood
Photo: Idaho Cold Case Facebook
Idaho Falls is a city located in the eastern part of Idaho. Idaho Falls is in the Snake River Valley, near the Snake River, and is the largest city in the Eastern Idaho region. The population is 63,000 people. Historically, Idaho Falls has been associated with agriculture and the production of potatoes, which are major crops in Idaho. And finally, one stereotype of a state actually comes through! Idaho potatoes, that is what I know. However, I didnt know that One of the notable features of Idaho Falls is its connection to nuclear research. The city is home to the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), one of the U.S. Department of Energy's national laboratories. INL is a leading center for nuclear energy research and development. Idaho Falls has several educational institutions, including Idaho State University's College of Technology and University Place, a branch of Brigham Young University-Idaho.
The nearby Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and Craters of the Moon National Monument are popular destinations for outdoor enthusiasts. The city also hosts events and festivals throughout the year, celebrating its cultural heritage. Neighborhood Scout gives Idaho Falls a rating of 25 as far as safety is concerned. The state of Idaho and Idaho Falls are both under the national average for violent crimes. Even their property crimes are well under the national average as well. Even though Idaho seems like a sleepy town without crime, the friends and family of Thomas Sherwood would say differently, and that is why we are navigating advocacy in Idaho today.
Thomas Sherwood was born to Robert and Marjory Sherwood on November 24, 1958. He had siblings, but I am unsure if they were younger or older or male or female. He graduated high school from Green River, Wyoming. He then went on to gain his bachelor's degree from Idaho State University in Idaho Springs, Idaho, he double majored in ecology and geology. Thomas is also where he continued to work while moving to the small town of Pocatello not too far away. Thomas would eventually land a senior manager position at the environmental, engineering, and construction company known as North Winds right there in Idaho Springs. He was one of the original managers of this business.
On September 4th, 2000, Thomas, who was married with zero children, was found dead in the basement of the home he shared with his wife Stephanie. Stephanie found Thomas dead and called the police right away. She stated he had committed suicide. However, it wouldn't take long before authorities disagreed with her initial scene assessment.
On the day Thomas died, he was supposed to be scouting for Sandhill Cranes near Grays Lake, just about one and a half hours away from his home. Thomas was an avid hunter, and apparently, in eastern Idaho, they are known for their Sandhill Crane hunting because it helps reduce crop damage. Thomas was also set to inherit his share of his grandfather's two-million-dollar estate. It would be split five ways, leaving Thomas with about 400,000 dollars, a significant amount of money. I couldn't find any reports of issues with the legal proceedings of this estate. It seemed as if it was right on track without any issues being raised by other family members. After police arrived and started investigating, they realized this wasn't a suicide, but the scene was altered to look like a suicide. One of the most significant findings was the fact that Thomas was shot from a distance of eight feet away or so and twice in the chest. Authorities collected what they describe as a lot of evidence, and the scene was recreated to understand better what happened. Even though Stephanie, Thomas’s wife, put up a 10,000 dollar reward for any information leading to the arrest of the person that killed her husband, the police already set their sights on this woman and her brother. Idaho Cold Case Facebook Page
According to one detective, "I know who our suspects are in the case. It's just a matter of finding enough evidence to prosecute them. That's the frustrating part. We know what evidence we need for that to happen, and it hasn't happened yet. We have had other people review the case, and it comes back to the same conclusion we came up with."
In May of 2001, Thomas’ brother-in-law's home was searched; however, what was discovered, if anything, was never released. The detective, who has been on the case for years, stated he always keeps track of Stephanie and her brother. Police have asked for polygraph tests to be completed, but on the advice from their attorneys, they have declined.
One thing that came from Thomas’ murder is an annual golf tournament in his memory hosted by his place of employment. It is called North Wind’s annual Sherwood Memorial Golf Tournament and raises thousands of dollars for scholarships in Thomas Sherwood’s honor. The scholarship is for the Idaho State University Foundation and is called the Tom Sherwood Memorial Scholarship, which benefits students pursuing geosciences or biology degrees.
Honestly, this is all that is known about this unsolved murder. Thomas Sherwood’s killer or killers are still out there living their lives, but it is time we put an end to that, so please contact Bannock County Sheriff (208) 236-7111 or the Idaho Cold Case Tip Line (844) TIP-4040.
