Criminology Podcast Episode 403 – Thomas Perez Jr.
Date: March 29, 2026
Hosts: Mike Ferguson & Mike Morford
Case: The Ordeal of Thomas Perez Jr.
Overview
This episode dives into the bizarre and disturbing ordeal of Thomas Perez Jr., a California man who was subjected to a traumatic 17-hour police interrogation, accused of murdering his missing father—who, in reality, was alive and well. The hosts unpack the actions of the Fontana Police Department, the psychological tactics used, and the devastating impact on Perez, his dog Margot, and his family. At its core, the episode is a scathing look at law enforcement overreach, tunnel vision, and the mishandling of a missing person’s case, highlighting how quickly a person can be pushed to the brink of false confession under psychological duress.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Disappearance of Thomas Perez Sr.
- Background: On August 8, 2018, Thomas Jr. (53) reports his 71-year-old father, Thomas Sr., missing after not returning from a nighttime walk with the family's lab mix, Margot. Margot returns home, but Thomas Sr. does not. (04:28)
- Living Situation: Thomas Jr. had moved in with his father after a divorce; Thomas Sr. was independent but beginning to show signs of dementia.
- Initial Concerns: The hosts both agree that while people react differently, waiting nearly 17 hours to call police is a long time given the circumstances (age, health, dog returning alone). (07:33)
2. Suspicion and Behavioral Analysis
- Police Reactions: Officers immediately grow suspicious of Thomas Jr.'s delayed report and demeanor, noting he was "distracted and unconcerned" (per Officer Joanna Pina). (05:23)
- Interpretation: The hosts analyze how scrutinizing the behavior of reporting parties can be a double-edged sword—sometimes meaningful, but often a source of bias or unfounded suspicion. (06:28, 10:06)
- Officer Perspective: Chief Mark Dorsey references previous cases where the reporting party was also the perpetrator. (32:55)
3. Physical "Evidence" and Tunnel Vision
- House in Disarray: Officers focus on donated clothes, discarded mattress, use of bleach, and house condition—though some aspects are explainable (home renovations, diabetes-related blood spots). (10:30, 11:50, 15:38)
- Cadaver Dog & Blood Stains: A volunteer's dog allegedly "alerts" to remains; stains are presumed to be blood without confirmation. Investigators begin treating it as a homicide scene. (14:25)
- Failure to Investigate Leads: Police ignore logical avenues Thomas Jr. suggests for searching for his father—interpreted as tunnel vision by the hosts. (13:28)
4. Long-Form Interrogation and Psychological Pressure
- 17-Hour Interrogation: Thomas Jr. voluntarily goes to the station and endures an intense, drugless interrogation without an attorney. (12:37, 16:12)
- Tactics Used: Detectives drive him around, use manipulative language, and outright lie—claiming his father's body was found, that he had been stabbed, etc. (16:12, 17:54)
- Medication Withheld: Thomas, who has anxiety and high blood pressure, is denied his prescription medications during interrogation. One detective blames the medication for “memory issues.” (17:54)
- Quote:
- Det. Guthrie: "It did happen. You killed him, and he's dead. You know you killed him. You're not being honest with yourself. How can you sit there and say you don't know what happened?" (16:12–17:54)
5. Manipulation and Breaking Point
- Bringing in Thomas's Dog: Detectives escalate by bringing Margot into the interrogation, telling Thomas she’s traumatized and faces euthanasia, leveraging his love for his pet to force a confession. (22:20)
- Quote: "I was still hanging on... until they told me they were going to kill my dog, too." — Thomas Jr. to CNN (22:20)
- Friend’s Role: Police bring in Thomas’s friend, Carl, instructing him to pressure a confession, feeding him false information about evidence. (20:49)
- Quote: "The officers indicated that what they needed me to do most was try to get an exact location of where Tom not only buried his father, but also to confess." — Carl Perazza (20:49)
- Emotional Collapse: Thomas Jr. apologizes to his absent father and sister, vomits, and later attempts suicide in the interrogation room. (24:48)
6. "Confession" Under Duress
- Hypothetical Storytelling: Thomas Jr.'s so-called confession is full of hypotheticals and uncertainty, picked apart by the hosts for lacking typical marks of a genuine admission. (25:50)
- Quote: "If he was enraged, he probably stabbed him a lot." — (Detective Janis, quoting Thomas Jr.) (25:50)
- False Narrative: Police treat this as a full confession despite its incoherence and lack of corroboration.
7. The Truth Emerges
- Thomas Sr. Is Found Alive: He had traveled via train and bus to visit his brother, friend, and daughter in other cities, leaving his phone and wallet behind by accident. (28:19)
- Police Double Down: Rather than release Thomas Jr., police keep him on an involuntary psychiatric hold, not informing him his father is alive for days. (29:54)
- Quote: "They left me in that mental anguish and to just suffer continually. I suffered that way for three days." — Thomas Jr. (29:54)
8. Aftermath and Legal Action
- Lawsuit Filed: Thomas Jr. sues for due process violations, emotional distress, false imprisonment, etc. Case reveals possible mishandling or even planting of evidence. (38:23)
- Quote: "They could get you and I to confess to killing Abe Lincoln if they wanted to." — Attorney Jerry Steering (38:23)
- Psychological Toll:
- Quote: "I never want to be in that kind of place again mentally. I didn't know such a place exists." — Thomas Jr. (41:25)
- U.S. Judge Gee: "A reasonable juror could conclude that the detectives inflicted unconstitutional psychological torture..." (41:25)
9. Outcome and Unanswered Accountability
- Settlement: Fontana settles for $898,000 but admits no wrongdoing; involved officers were later promoted, not punished. (42:35)
- Lingering Trauma: Thomas Jr. and his father still suffer—Margot, the dog, also passed away in 2023 after eventually being returned. (43:55–45:24)
- Loss of Trust:
- Quote: "The best advice is don’t call the cops. That’s a pretty bad state of affairs for a guy that did the right thing." — Mike Ferguson (43:55)
Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes
On Behavioral Suspicion
"People act differently. They react differently to different situations... it's hard to just flat out say that this person is hiding something or they're not acting the way they should."
— Mike Ferguson (06:28)
On Police Pressure Tactics
"That medication you’re taking has caused you, Thomas, to have some issues... It took over, and we need to find daddy right now."
— Detective (17:54)
On Emotional Manipulation
"I was still hanging on, dealing with that loss until they told me they were going to kill my dog, too."
— Thomas Jr. to CNN (22:20)
On Legal Response
"They could get you and I to confess to killing Abe Lincoln if they wanted to."
— Attorney Jerry Steering (38:23)
On Wrongful Interrogation Techniques
"A worried, hungry, unmedicated, sleep deprived person, especially one who is being told he had murdered his own father... may not make the most normal amount of eye contact or move their body in a normal way."
— Mike Ferguson (39:34)
Important Timestamps
| Timestamp | Topic/Quote | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:28 | Thomas Sr. last seen walking the dog; sets stage for worry | | 05:23 | Police first express suspicion about Thomas Jr.’s behavior | | 10:30 | "Dog coming back" led hosts to worry; comparison to other cases | | 12:37 | Thomas Jr. taken for 17-hour questioning, no attorney | | 14:25 | Cadaver dog and blood stains escalate suspicion | | 16:12 | Beginning of intense, manipulative interrogation, 'We know you did it...' | | 17:54 | Medication withheld and detective blames for "memory issues" | | 20:49 | Police use Thomas's friend to try to extract a confession | | 22:20 | Dog Margot brought in, threats of euthanasia leveraged | | 24:48 | Thomas Jr.'s emotional breakdown, begins self-harm | | 25:50 | Police document "confession" full of hypotheticals | | 28:19 | Thomas Sr. found alive; revelation of voluntary travels | | 29:54 | Police double down, Thomas Jr. held in psychiatric hold even after father is found | | 32:55 | Police defend tactics as legal; hosts push back on morality and ethics | | 38:23 | Filing of lawsuit, claims of evidence planted | | 41:25 | Judicial opinion: 'psychological torture,' confession under duress | | 42:35 | Settlement for $898,000, no punishment for officers | | 43:55 | Quote: "The best advice is don’t call the cops..." | | 45:24 | Episode wind-down: hosts reflect on police practices, lasting trauma |
Reflection and Host Commentary
- Failure of Process: Both hosts repeatedly stress that while police have a difficult job and sometimes need to use deception, there must be a limit—especially after their theory fell apart when Thomas Sr. was found alive. (32:55, 35:42)
- Comparisons: Mike Ferguson draws explicit comparisons to notorious false confession and wrongful arrest cases.
- Consequences: Lack of any structural change or discipline—officers were promoted and lessons appear not to have been learned.
- Emotional Impact: It’s not just the injustice, but the psychological harm to Thomas Jr. and the nearly tragic fate of Margot that elevate the case’s outrage. (24:07, 28:19, 43:55)
Conclusion
The story of Thomas Perez Jr. is one of a law enforcement system that, driven by suspicion and flawed investigative techniques, subjected an innocent man to trauma, nearly cost him his dog, and dinged the public's trust in police. It’s a powerful episode that warns of the real dangers of tunnel vision in criminal investigations, the fragility of personal rights under duress, and the imperative for compassion—not just procedure—in the pursuit of justice.