Tom Raper Jr.

Tom Raper Jr

Tom Raper, January 16, 2000 booking photo (Randall County Jail)

Tom Raper Jr., 30, of Minnesota, was charged with capital murder in both Randall County (death of Clifford Shannon Espinoza, whose body was found in a rural field south of Canyon, Nov. 13, 2000) and Moore County (death of Patricia Norris Hart, shot at the Cactus liquor store where she worked, Nov. 10, 2000). Raper and co-defendant Hiram Bodry were captured near Lawton, Oklahoma, on Nov. 12, 2000, after a chase and shootout, having fled through the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge before surrendering. Raper wrote to prosecutor James Farren in December 2000 asking for a speedy resolution. On Feb. 28, 2001, he reached a plea agreement with Texas prosecutors in the Espinoza case and was sentenced to 60 years in TDCJ, with 30 years required before parole eligibility.