Found Deceased TX - Alexis Sharkey, 26, Houston, 27 Nov 2020 #2 *suspect commits suicide*

[kelsie]

I have followed this case since, I believe, before Alexis was found dead.
I don't know what evidence the cops couldn't get right away. That part confuses me. If Tom moved away pretty much immediately after it happened and his friends cleared out the apartment, and the cops never saw him after this, it's not like they were missing his DNA or needed additional interviewing. So I really wonder what it was that sealed the deal arrest warrant wise, and I know Alexis' mom appreciated everything HPD did, but I feel like Tom could've been arrested much earlier and this would've gone to trial instead of being additionally traumatizing for both families involved. Just my opinion. It's been a very difficult case to witness. Sad, disturbing, and the way she was dumped on the side of the road like a piece of trash by the one person in this life who vowed to protect her, love her, cherish her, in sickness and in health... ugh

 

[steeltowngirl]

He was in her house, probably expected the inevitable and had decided in advance on his course of action.
I believe LE announced their presence, doesn't take long to run upstairs and hit that pre-prepared trigger and POOOP... kingdom come instantly.
Thing is , prison means living... he chose death for himself. Why?

Perhaps he couldn’t live with himself and what he’d done, what he’d lost at his own hand. His wife, his freedom, and maybe his sanity.

 

[steeltowngirl]

I have followed this case since, I believe, before Alexis was found dead.
I don't know what evidence the cops couldn't get right away. That part confuses me. If Tom moved away pretty much immediately after it happened and his friends cleared out the apartment, and the cops never saw him after this, it's not like they were missing his DNA or needed additional interviewing. So I really wonder what it was that sealed the deal arrest warrant wise, and I know Alexis' mom appreciated everything HPD did, but I feel like Tom could've been arrested much earlier and this would've gone to trial instead of being additionally traumatizing for both families involved. Just my opinion. It's been a very difficult case to witness. Sad, disturbing, and the way she was dumped on the side of the road like a piece of trash by the one person in this life who vowed to protect her, love her, cherish her, in sickness and in health... ugh

The investigators would have had to rule out others, and there were plenty of “others” surrounding Alexis. The social media followers, the group of friends, and an alleged new boyfriend. As has been said in many cases, the prosecutor only gets “one bite at the apple”. They had to build a case, then get the DA to agree there was enough evidence for an arrest.

I agree with you, it’s a sad case, and justice wasn’t fully served. At least no one else was harmed. The police that went to serve the warrant, as well as TS’s daughter, were in grave danger at the end. Thankfully, TS didn’t take anyone else out with him.

 

[kittythehare]

Perhaps he couldn’t live with himself and what he’d done, what he’d lost at his own hand. His wife, his freedom, and maybe his sanity.

The timing tho'!
He had a lot of time to do that if he was feeling despair like you describe..
I think he did it because he knew he couldn't handle prison. I wonder why?

 

[steeltowngirl]

The timing tho'!
He had a lot of time to do that if he was feeling despair like you describe..
I think he did it because he knew he couldn't handle prison. I wonder why?

He waited because he thought maybe he would get away with it. I am not aware of any previous criminal record for TS, so if he feared prison, I assume it would be for the typical reasons any one of us would feel. He was a big guy and would probably have been well enough physically behind bars (not fearing his own safety), but that doesn’t address the emotional or mental aspects of possible LWOP. Also - isn’t Texas still a DP state? Possible death row vs. death at one’s own hands isn’t much of a choice, but it’s still a choice.

 

[mewmew]

The timing tho'!
He had a lot of time to do that if he was feeling despair like you describe..
I think he did it because he knew he couldn't handle prison. I wonder why?

IMO, I don’t think it’s because he couldn’t handle prison. Dudes huge. I think, like another poster said, he thought maybe he’d get away with it, but knew that once the cops caught on, he’d have to fess up. Then he’d have to admit to being a liar, to his family, his friends, the world. I think THAT is what he couldn’t bear to live with.

 

[HouDat]

IMO, I don’t think it’s because he couldn’t handle prison. Dudes huge. I think, like another poster said, he thought maybe he’d get away with it, but knew that once the cops caught on, he’d have to fess up. Then he’d have to admit to being a liar, to his family, his friends, the world. I think THAT is what he couldn’t bear to live with.

Absolutely. The the narcissism, the ego, the trashing of ARS's character while attempting to portray himself as a white knight and, of course, the steroid use -- all of these things point in the same direction, that being the attempt at projecting an image of perfection. And having to admit fault -- especially to this degree -- would have toppled the house of cards which he'd worked so carefully and diligently to construct.

 

[Madeleine74]

It's about control of destiny. Remember the old time movies? "You coppers will never take me alive!"

This guy was known to be controlling. Of course he wouldn't want to go to jail/prison where he'd have no control of anything. He knew it was "over" for him, and he'd been waiting for the other shoe to drop. That's why he had a weapon (probably loaded) ready to go. It's why he high-tailed it upstairs to where he kept that weapon as soon as he realized police were there.

He wasn't going to allow LE to take him, he wasn't going to spend one day in jail if he could help it; he had a plan and he executed that plan.

I believe it's as simple as that.

 

[Sheila Terranova]

The timing tho'!
He had a lot of time to do that if he was feeling despair like you describe..
I think he did it because he knew he couldn't handle prison. I wonder why?

American prisons are unnecessarily barbaric full of horror and terror. That needs to change.

 

[303gmf]

American prisons are unnecessarily barbaric full of horror and terror. That needs to change.

Interesting
Murder of ones spouse is usually barbaric and full of horror and terror
That’s what needs to change!!
IMO

 

[MoeInVA]

Absolutely. The the narcissism, the ego, the trashing of ARS's character while attempting to portray himself as a white knight and, of course, the steroid use -- all of these things point in the same direction, that being the attempt at projecting an image of perfection. And having to admit fault -- especially to this degree -- would have toppled the house of cards which he'd worked so carefully and diligently to construct.

I 100 percent agree.

IMO, people who are emotionally and physically abusive come across as full of themselves, but actually have very fragile egos and can't accept their own failings so they displace the self-hatred and anger onto others in their life. You see this with schoolyard bullies and in adult abusers as well. I think his defense mechanisms could no longer protect his fragile ego and he could not bear for others to know his failings.

https://www.simplypsychology.org/defense-mechanisms.html

 

[Sheila Terranova]

Interesting
Murder of ones spouse is usually barbaric and full of horror and terror
That’s what needs to change!!
IMO

Two different subjects. My ex tried to murder me. I like to see justice for murdered wives very much, almost obsessively.
But I was answering why would someone be afraid to go.
I used to volunteer in juvenile. We make criminals much worse coming out than when they went in. Norway does the opposite. They actually do a good job rehabilitating. It’s a black eye on our national soul. Some people are in for fairly minor stuff. The horror is well known . Just like the Middle Ages. We are making monsters. They come back out , you know. Much scarier than when they went in. And it is pretty deliberate. Everybody in the prison system knows the score. The correctional officers are often, not always, as bad or worse than the prisoners. You get what you pay for. Crime is going up. We need to change our prison system or we will pay the price on the city streets.

 

[Seattle1]

Alexis Sharkey's husband kills himself after U.S. Marshals attempt to arrest him for his wife's murder

Houston police said they were able to obtain an arrest warrant for Thomas Sharkey in September after collecting evidence to charge him with his wife's murder.

www.khou.com

10/6/21

According to the Houston Police Department, investigators had spent a great deal of time talking to witnesses and collecting enough evidence to determine that Thomas Sharkey was responsible for his wife's murder.

How did police determine Thomas Sharkey was a suspect​

During a press conference Wednesday, police said Thomas was not truthful through the investigation and even tried to throw them off by bringing up other possible suspects.

Thomas had a history of being "evasive," police said.
He reportedly left the state about two weeks after Alexis' murder and police said they had been trying to meet up with him for quite some time to collect a DNA sample.

At the beginning of August, police say Thomas Sharkey finally agreed to meet with detectives while he was living in Georgia. Police said detectives went there, but they were not able to make contact with him.

“He came up with a very bizarre story later on about why he essentially disappeared and then a short time after that incident, he relocated to Florida,” detectives said.

Police said they established there was a history of domestic violence between Alexis and Thomas Sharkey and the relationship was ending. There were even talks of divorce on Alexis' end, police confirmed.

Police said over time, they were able to develop enough evidence to determine probable cause and charge Thomas Sharkey with Alexis's murder.

"The investigation determined that Thomas Sharkey, her husband, is the only person who had the means, motive and opportunity to have committed the murder," police said.

 

[Seattle1]

10/6/21

Houston police update on Alexis Sharkey case after husband kills himself​