Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office secures multiple guilty verdicts in 2022 double murder case

Posted on 11/27/2023

Defendant: Mason Thompson-Bray & Skylor VanHouten

On Nov. 21, the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office secured a total of 17 guilty verdicts against Mason Thompson-Bray of Grove City, 23, and Skylor VanHouten of Springfield, 22, for the 2022 murders of Francisco Rodriguez and Trintan Mendoza.

Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys Jason Manning and Seth Enlow prosecuted the case for the prosecutor’s office.

On the evening of May 27, 2022, Thompson-Bray and VanHouten entered a residence on Idlebrook Place in Galloway and attempted to rob both victims, shooting Mendoza four times and Rodriguez 10 times. Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Detectives Meister and Gross used residential and commercial surveillance cameras and cell phone records to help secure the arrest and charges against Thompson-Bray and VanHouten. The work of Detectives Meister and Gross played a major role in the prosecution.

A jury found Thompson-Bray of eight felony counts and VanHouten guilty of nine felony counts, including murder, aggravated murder, and aggravated burglary, all with firearm specifications.

Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Stephen McIntosh, who presided over the six-day trial, will sentence Thompson-Bray and VanHouten on Jan. 8, 2024.