THOMAS EVANS DUNIGAN, 23, of Lakewood, Washington, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 20 in prison and 5 years of supervised release for Kidnapping Resulting in Death. At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Ronald B. Leighton said DUNIGAN was “more of a leader than a follower” in his criminal endeavors, and said the public must be protected from him.

DUNIGAN was a key conspirator in the kidnapping and murder of 20-year-old Christopher Jerry. Jerry was a former soldier who was shot to death in late August 2005, at the dark and isolated Fort Lewis Ammo Supply Point Crash Gate. DUNIGAN had recently argued publicly with Jerry, after which Jerry made telephonic threats to DUNIGAN, a member of the Black Gangster Disciples gang. After kidnaping and beating Jerry on Fox Island, other conspirators brought the hog-tied Jerry to DUNIGAN’s home in the Tillicum section of Lakewood. DUNIGAN beat Jerry, and brandished a loaded assault rifle at Jerry before placing it into the car Jerry was riding in. DUNIGAN also called other members of his gang to come and help him with Jerry. One of the gang members who thereafter arrived at DUNIGAN’s was Markus Moore. DUNIGAN, in Moore’s car, then led the group to the dark Fort Lewis gate. Jerry tried to run away from his captors, but was chased and tackled by conspirator Michael Jordan (who has yet to be sentenced). Markus Moore then stepped forward and shot Jerry multiple times in the head and neck with a .38 revolver. Moore was sentenced two weeks ago to more than 29 years in prison.

Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory Gruber and Kent Liu wrote to the court about the senseless murder. “Jerry was violently and viciously cut down in the prime of his life for absolutely no reason at all. ... (His) final seconds, minutes, and hours of life were no doubt extremely painful and filled with terror,” they wrote in their sentencing memorandum.

Two additional defendants will be sentenced later this summer. Michael Jordan will be sentenced on July 24, 2007, and Jacob Ray Gardner will be sentenced on July 25, 2007. This case was investigated by the FBI and U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) with assistance from the Lakewood Police Department and the Pierce County Violent Crimes Task Force.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory Gruber and Kent Liu.
For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney’s Office, at (206) 553-4110.

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