The mysterious death of a murder suspect after he walked free on a not proven verdict is being investigated by police. The body of John Thomas, 40, was found last weekend, just months after being cleared over the murder of John Dalziel.
John, 47, was beaten up, slashed with a broken plate and left to burn after a fire was started at the property where the attack occurred. But the charge against Thomas, who had more than 100 previous convictions, was found not proven and he walked free.
Thomas’s body was found in Renfrewshire, on Sunday. A police spokesman said: “At 7.20pm on Sunday, May 14, officers were called to a report of a sudden death at a property in the Kinnaird Drive area of Linwood. A man, 40, was pronounced dead at the scene.”
Heartbroken friends and family took to social media to pay tribute to Thomas. His sister, Lisa Thomas, wrote on Facebook: “The biggest pain in my bum but also the biggest heartbreak. You will always be our lovable rogue.”
Les Roddie added: “JT you were my pal and a son to me and it’s with a heavy heart I have to say how much I will miss you son.” Liz Mcdonald wrote: “Absolutely gutted to hear this. Will miss him coming to mine and crashing on the couch with his Malibu or peach schnapps.”
Thomas was accused of helping Andrew McLeod murder John in May 2021. McLeod was found guilty at the High Court in Glasgow. The court heard he attacked John on his 47th birthday.
Neighbour Robert Carmichael said he saw a fire, looked in a window and could see the victim lying in a “pool of blood” while McLeod was sitting on a couch. He added: “At that point, John Thomas came out the side of the house and I asked what happened. I do not know if he heard me or was not there fully himself.”
After the verdict, it emerged McLeod was already a convicted killer, jailed for nine years for killing Scott McMinn in Paisley in 2004.
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