CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A Ross County man is set to be released from prison next year after serving 22 years for aggravated robbery, kidnapping, rape, involuntary manslaughter, and endangering children.
Thomas James McCray is an ominous figure who stands out in the history of the county.
It all started in April of 2001 when two fishermen along the Scioto River in Ross County discovered a 2-year-old toddler sitting alone, strapped in a car seat at the end of a dirt trail. The child, officials said at the time, had spent the entire night outside in freezing cold conditions.
Officials with the Ross County Sheriff’s Office investigated the scene when they discovered a blood trail leading to the banks of the rivers.
It was at the end of that trail where deputies made a gruesome discovery: the body of 21-year-old Stephanie Evans was found in the water, under some rocks, and partially submerged, reports said. She was the mother of the child.
The events that would follow sent shock waves throughout the southern Ohio community.
Detectives with the Ross County Sheriff’s Office said that Evans was found bound with her hands tied behind her back and was only partially clothed. The Sheriff at the time, Ron Nichols, said, “It was very difficult for the officers to get down to where the victim was.”
The 2-year-old boy was taken by EMS to Adena Regional Medical Center where he was treated for shock exposure and hypothermia.
Deputies, along with agents from the Bureau of Criminal Investigations, continued to canvas the scene looking for any evidence or clues to help them find the person responsible for Evan’s death.
A vehicle belonging to Evans was located in Columbus by police. The interior of the vehicle had been set on fire, according to reports, but DNA and fingerprints were still able to be obtained.
After several months of waiting, the Sheriff received DNA test results that linked Thomas James McCray to the murder and rape of Evans. It was at that time a hunt began by law enforcement to bring the killer to justice.
A year had passed since the grisly murder of Evans, and law enforcement was no closer to finding McCray than when they started. That all changed when the TV show “America’s Most Wanted” aired a special episode in 2002.
America’s Most Wanted (AMW) was a television program that featured reenactments of fugitive cases, interviews, as well as a hotline number where viewers could submit tips. According to AMW, they have helped find over 1,000 fugitives.
It was a tip from McCray’s current girlfriend who had watched the show’s episode and contacted the police. Law enforcement discovered he was being held in a Canadian prison on theft and breaking and entering charges. Canadian government officials said McCray was going by the name Jason Williams at the time.
Law enforcement, along with officials from the U.S. State Department contacted the Canadian government who agreed to extradite McCray after he finished his sentence in Canada.
McCray was also the primary suspect in another local homicide case.
Ella Mae Grant, 83, was a well-known and well-loved real estate agent in Ross County. Grant was found shot to death in what police called an attempted burglary in 2001. Officials said her body was discovered by her friends when they showed up at her home to take her to church.
Law enforcement, to date, has been unsuccessful in linking McCray to the Grant murder and her case remains unsolved, but detectives say he remains a person of interest in the case.
McCray would eventually plead guilty to an amended charge of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
He is expected to be released in July of next year.