Idaho
US serial killer with penchant for poetry to be executed after nearly 50 years
For nearly 50 years, Idaho’s prison staffers have been serving Thomas Eugene Creech three meals a day, checking on him during rounds and taking him to medical appointments.
This Wednesday, some of Idaho’s prison staffers will be asked to kill him. Barring any last-minute stay, the 73-year-old, one of the nation’s longest-serving death row inmates, will be executed by lethal injection for killing a fellow prisoner with a battery-filled sock in 1981.
Creech’s killing of David Jensen, a young, disabled man who was serving time for car theft, was his last in a broad path of destruction that saw Creech convicted of five murders in three states. He is also suspected of at least a half-dozen others.
But now, decades later, Creech is mostly known inside the walls of the Idaho Maximum Security Institution as just “Tom,” a generally well-behaved old-timer with a penchant for poetry. His unsuccessful bid for clemency even found support from a former warden at the penitentiary, prison staffers who recounted how he wrote them poems of support or condolence and the judge who sentenced Creech to death.
“Some of our correctional officers have grown up with Tom Creech,” Idaho Department of Correction Director Josh Tewalt said Friday. “Our warden has a long-standing relationship with him… There’s a familiarity and a rapport that has been built over time.”
Creech’s attorneys have filed a flurry of last-minute appeals in four different courts in recent months trying to halt the execution, which would be Idaho’s first in 12 years. They have argued Idaho’s refusal to say where its execution drug was obtained violates his rights and that he received ineffective assistance of counsel.
A three-judge panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday rejected an argument that Creech should not be executed because he was sentenced by a judge rather than a jury.
It’s not clear how many people Creech, an Ohio native, killed before he was imprisoned in Idaho in 1974. At one point he claimed to have killed as many as 50 people, but many of the confessions were made under the influence of now discredited “truth serum” drugs and filled with outlandish tales of occult-driven human sacrifice and contract killings for a powerful motorcycle gang.
Official estimates vary, but authorities tend to focus on 11 deaths. Creech’s attorneys did not immediately return phone calls from the Associated Press.
In 1973, Creech was tried for the murder of 70-year-old Paul Schrader, a retiree who was stabbed to death in the Tucson, Arizona, motel where Creech was living. Creech used Schrader’s credit cards and vehicle to leave Tucson for Portland, Oregon. A jury acquitted him, but authorities say they have no doubt he was responsible.
The next year, Creech was committed to Oregon State Hospital for a few months. He earned a weekend pass and traveled to Sacramento, California, where he killed Vivian Grant Robinson at her home. Creech then used Robinson’s phone to let the hospital know he would return a day late. That crime went unsolved until Creech later confessed while in custody in Idaho; he wasn’t convicted until 1980.
After he was released from the Oregon State Hospital, Creech got a job at a church in Portland doing maintenance work. He had living quarters at the church, and it was there he shot and killed 22-year-old William Joseph Dean in 1974. Authorities believe he then fatally shot Sandra Jane Ramsamooj at the Salem grocery store where she worked.
Creech was finally arrested in November 1974. He and a girlfriend were hitchhiking in Idaho when they were picked up by two painters, Thomas Arnold and John Bradford. Creech shot both men to death and the girlfriend co-operated with authorities.
While in custody, Creech confessed to a number of other killings. Some appeared to be fabricated, but he provided information that led police to the bodies of Gordon Lee Stanton and Charles Thomas Miller near Las Vegas, and of Rick Stewart McKenzie, 22, near Baggs, Wyoming.
Creech initially was sentenced to death for killing the painters. But after the US Supreme Court barred automatic death sentences in 1976, his sentence was converted to life in prison.
That changed after he killed Jensen, who was serving time for car theft. Jensen’s life hadn’t been easy: He suffered a nearly fatal gun injury as a teen that left him with serious disabilities including partial paralysis.
Jensen’s relatives opposed Creech’s bid for clemency. They described Jensen as a gentle soul and a prankster who loved hunting and spending time outdoors, who was “the peanut butter” to his sister’s jelly. His daughter, who was 4 when he was killed, spoke of how she never got to know him, and how unfair it was that Creech is still around when her father isn’t.
Creech’s supporters, meanwhile, say decades spent in a prison cell have left him changed. One death row prison staffer told the parole board last month that while she cannot begin to understand the suffering Creech dealt to others, he is now a person who makes positive contributions to his community. His execution date will be difficult for everyone at the prison, she said, especially those who have known him for years.
“I don’t want to be dismissive of what he did and the countless people who were impacted by that in real significant ways,” said Tewalt, the corrections director. “At the same time, you also can’t be dismissive of the effect it’s going to have on people who have established a relationship with him. On Thursday, Tom’s not going to be there. You know he’s not coming back to that unit — that’s real. It would be really difficult to not feel some sort of emotion about that.”
Idaho
Clavijo joins U of I to advance Idaho fruit production | University of Idaho
Jonathan Clavijo-Herrera was among the first scientists in Florida to successfully establish a high-density peach orchard, using trellises to train tree branches to grow on fruiting walls, which reduces labor while increasing yields.
Now Clavijo is poised to help University of Idaho blaze trails with its fruit-production research.
On March 2, 2026, Clavijo joined the U of I’s Parma Research and Extension Center as an assistant professor and Extension specialist in pomology. In his new role, Clavijo will conduct research benefiting Idaho’s fruit industry, with an emphasis on apples, cherries and peaches.
Clavijo was attracted to the job by the potential of the fruit industry in Idaho, the opportunity to research new types of fruit, the high quality of the laboratory facilities at Parma and the ample orchard space.
“I feel there’s a lot of support from the Parma station team,” Clavijo said. “I feel like there are a lot of opportunities here. There’s a lot of work to be done for sure in the orchard and the lab and everything, but I’m really encouraged by the support I’m receiving from the university, and the willingness of the growers to partner and collaborate is amazing.”
Originally from La Paz, Bolivia, Clavijo earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural sciences and production from Zamorano University in Honduras. He continued his education at University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville, where he earned a master’s degree and a doctorate in horticultural sciences. Early on in his graduate studies, Clavijo completed an internship involving the use of LED lighting for the indoor production of leafy greens. He researched how to improve commercial production and water use efficiency in greens by manipulating the light spectrum.
As a master’s student, Clavijo studied the potential for a Florida olive industry.
“We evaluated three olive varieties in two locations to see how they would perform,” Clavijo said. “We also tested different strategies to establish those trees.”
Furthermore, Clavijo helped develop a tool to help olive farmers adjust their fertilization management practices under local growing conditions.
His doctoral dissertation entailed researching how a rootstock — the underground part of a plant onto which another variety is grafted — can affect the performance of the above-ground portion of a tree, known as the scion. He and his research team found that certain rootstocks improved the capacity of trees to uptake water and nutrients. The team also found that rootstocks can affect the expression of genes related to dormancy, which enables a tree to withstand winter temperatures while conserving energy for the growing season.
Idaho
As Automated Tech Rises, Idaho Eliminates Registration Tags
(TNS) — Sick of peeling that pesky tag off of your license plate every year?
A new Idaho law that goes into effect this summer ends the legal requirements for vehicle registration tags on motor vehicles.
However, you still need to update your tags — or risk getting a ticket.
Here’s what drivers to know:
DO I STILL NEED A VEHICLE REGISTRATION STICKER?
House Bill 533 eliminates the color-coded vehicle registration stickers Idaho drivers attach to their license plates, saving the Idaho Transportation Department an estimated $300,000 in production costs.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed HB 533 into law in early March.
Starting July 1, Idaho drivers will no longer be required to replace their sticker tags when renewing vehicle registrations.
The change comes as law enforcement agencies are relying more on automated technology.
Automated license plate readers “automatically capture images or videos” of a passing vehicle, then detect the license plate number and access all recorded information related to that vehicle, according to the Library of Congress.
That includes the vehicle’s registration, make, model and color as well as whether it’s on a so-called “hot list” identifying vehicles of interest to law enforcement, the Library of Congress said on its website.
HOW CAN I TELL IF MY VEHICLE REGISTRATION IS EXPIRING?
Vehicle registration provides proof that your car, pickup truck, SUV or motorcycle is “allowed to drive on Idaho roads,” according to the Idaho Department of Transportation .
That’s still the case even if you’re no longer to sport a sticker on your license plate.
“Nothing is changing for customers when it comes to renewing registration,” Britt Rosenthal, public information officer for the Idaho Division of Motor Vehicles, told the Idaho Statesman in an email. “The only update is that Idaho will stop mailing out physical registration stickers after July 1, 2026.”
The Idaho DMV notifies drivers by mail, text or email when their registration is about to expire, according to Rosenthal.
“Residents can also log into their portal at anytime to check vehicle renewal status,” Rosenthal said.
“You should renew your vehicle registration before it expires,” the DMV said. “If you renew your registration early, your new expiration date will not change. You cannot renew a registration that is suspended or revoked or is conditional for title.”
HOW MUCH CAN I BE FINED FOR EXPIRED TAGS?
If your vehicle is unregistered — or that registration has expired — an Idaho police officer can pull you over and give you a warning or a ticket, the Statesman reported previously.
The fines for unregistered vehicles and expired tags haven’t changed.
Having expired tags in Idaho is a traffic infraction punishable a $101 fine, according to the Idaho Supreme Court.
If you’re caught driving with fake registration or borrowing or stealing tags, you could pay a $115 fine, the Statesman previously reported. The true owner of the registration is at risk of being fined the same amount.
If you provide false information when you’re registering your vehicle, you could face a $156.50 fine. That includes giving a name that is not legally recognized by the state of Idaho.
HOW DO I REGISTER A VEHICLE IN IDAHO FOR THE FIRST TIME?
To register a vehicle for the first time, you must visit an Idaho Division of Motor Vehicles office in person.
In Boise, you can visit the state Division of Motor Vehicles office at 8655 West Franklin Road for new vehicle registration or registration renewal.
The DMV has office locations across the state that can assist with registration requests.
To register and title a vehicle in Idaho, you’ll need to provide the following:
- Your full legal name
- An Idaho driver’s license number, Idaho-issued ID card, Social Security number or employer identification number
- A verifiable physical address
- A verifiable mailing address
HOW DO I RENEW MY VEHICLE REGISTRATION IN IDAHO?
The Idaho Division of Motor Vehicles offers multiple options for drivers seeking to renew their registration, including an online portal that can be used with or without creating a personal account
You can also visit the DMV’s virtual Ada County office.
In addition, you can renew your vehicle registration by calling 208-584-4343, mailing a check money order to the DMV office that sent your renewal notice or visiting a DMV office in person.
Save time by scheduling an appointment in advance.
HOW MUCH DOES CAR REGISTRATION COST IN IDAHO?
Registration costs depend on the vehicle type, weight, age and inspection requirements, as well as the county where you live, according to the DMV.
Registration and renewal costs for noncommercial vehicles — those weighing 8,000 pounds or less — can range from $24 to $140 for a standard Idaho license plate.
Personalized and specialty license plates require an additional annual fee.
It can cost $73 to $337 to register a commercial vehicle weighing more than 8,000 pounds, with costs affected by weight.
You can use the Idaho DMV’s online calendar to calculate your registration fees.
©2026 The Idaho Statesman, Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Idaho
Idaho Lottery results: See winning numbers for Pick 3, Pick 4 on May 3, 2026
The results are in for the Idaho Lottery’s draw games on Sunday, May 3, 2026.
Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on May 3.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 3 drawing
Day: 9-9-2
Night: 5-9-0
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 3 drawing
Day: 9-4-1-7
Night: 7-8-9-1
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Idaho Cash numbers from May 3 drawing
05-14-16-26-40
Check Idaho Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 3 drawing
05-08-15-32-51, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Idaho Lottery drawings held ?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 1:59 p.m. (Day) and 7:59 p.m. (Night) MT daily.
- Pick 4: 1:59 p.m. (Day) and 7:59 p.m. (Night) MT daily.
- Lucky For Life: 8:35 p.m. MT Monday and Thursday.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- 5 Star Draw: 8 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Idaho Cash: 8 p.m. MT daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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