SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, California — Thomas Creech, Idaho's longest serving death row inmate, was named in a 1974 murder investigation by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office.
In a press release, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office said that in November 2023, they resumed their investigation into the murder of Daniel Walker, who was killed on October 1, 1947.
The Sheriff's Office says that over several years no workable leads developed to solve the murder. But, since November, detectives obtained additional information ultimately identifying Creech as a suspect.
Cold Case Detectives with Calfirnia's San Bernardino County worked with the Ada County District Attorney's Office where they were "able to corroborate intimate details from statements Creech made regarding Daniel’s murder," a press release states.
The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office is now in consultation with the Ada County District Attorney’s Office.
Recently, a commutation hearing was held for Creech, aiming to reduce his sentence for the murder of fellow inmate David Jensen.
Related: Thomas Creech appeals for clemency, seeking life without parole
In response to Creech being named a suspect in San Bernardino County, Federal Defenders working with Creech wrote, "the announcement by the San Bernardino Sheriff that Thomas Creech is a 'suspect' in Daniel Walker’s death only underscores how false and irresponsible it was for the Ada County prosecutors to claim at last Friday’s clemency hearing that the case was “closed” and Mr. Creech was guilty."
Federal Defenders added that the newly found details suddenly make Creech a suspect in a crime that has never been linked to him.
His defenders write, "Mr. Creech has become a remorseful, compassionate person with deep support from correctional staff, religious leaders, the many friends he’s made, and even the judge who sentenced him to death."
Moving forward, Creech's Federal Defense team says there are confident the Parole Commission will judge Creech on the man he is in 2024.
