55-year-old Ron Thompson expressed disbelief over the senseless killing of his 72-year-old partner, Gerald Don Henderson, allegedly carried out by neo-Nazis last week.
Authorities suspect that Henderson was killed by 28-year-old Nicholas Umphenour and 31-year-old Skylar Meade, who are members of the Aryan Knights prison gang and were apprehended by police in Twin Falls, Idaho, on Thursday.
Meade escaped from the Idaho Maximum Security Institution on Wednesday and was apprehended after self-inflicting injuries at the Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, Idaho. Umphenour, who was released from the same prison last month, shot two officers transporting Meade at the hospital's unloading area. The officers survived their injuries.
The two neo-Nazis are suspected of killing 83-year-old James L. Mauney while he was walking his dogs. Police found Mauney's body and returned his dogs to his family. They later found Henderson dead outside his cabin in Clearwater County, 300 miles north of Boise.
Umphenour had lived with Henderson and Thompson during his teenage years, but he was asked to leave due to his frequent discussions about shooting people, which was concerning and frightening for Thompson.
Thompson described Umphenour as having a volatile temper that was frightening. according to The Idaho Statesman.
Thompson expressed concern about Umphenour's visit to Henderson after being released from prison. He alerted the sheriff's office upon learning about Umphenour's hospital ambush, leading to the discovery of Henderson's body outside the cabin and Meade's discarded prison shackles nearby.
Thompson noted that Henderson was a different person at his cabin, where he felt peaceful and stress-free.
Thompson and Henderson met in 2006 on a dating site and had been partners since. They lived together in the cabin until 2018 when Thompson moved to a more liberal and populated area. In conservative Clearwater County, Thompson struggled to openly acknowledge their relationship, and they never got married.
Thompson revealed that while it was known they were a couple, they did not discuss it openly. Henderson had previously been attacked by homophobes and had a deep love for Thompson. They had plans to move to New Mexico together.
Thompson expressed how much Henderson enriched his life and how devastated he is by the loss. He emphasized that Henderson added adventure to his life and lamented the senseless act committed by evil individuals.
Both neo-Nazis are currently detained on a bond of $2 million. The two were previously sharing a cell in the prison and were part of the Aryan Knights prison gang.
The gang driven by hate is involved in various criminal activities and creates an atmosphere of fear, addiction, and violence in prison. federal prosecutors stated this in 2021.
