Edmond Mitri Saad III, a 45-year-old male of Lebanese descent, was found dead on September 2, 2004, in his home in Livingston, Texas. Saad, a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force, was discovered alongside his wife, Eva Lou Thompson Saad, 47, and their 14-year-old son, Edmond Mitri Saad IV. The family was found shot to death in their burning mobile home.
The tragic incident occurred in the Escapees RV Park, where the family had moved to care for Eva's elderly parents.
The investigation revealed that the perpetrator was Floyd Thompson, Eva's 75-year-old father. Thompson, who lived within walking distance of the Saad's home, was reportedly distraught over the breakup of his marriage. On the day of the murders, Thompson visited his daughter's house to talk to his estranged wife, Betty Thompson, about their divorce settlement. After a brief exchange, he shot Betty in the back and left her to die on the kitchen floor. He then proceeded to shoot his daughter, son-in-law, and grandson in a rear bedroom, reloading his .38-caliber handgun at some point. After the murders, Thompson poured gasoline over the bodies and set the house ablaze.
Thompson later drove to the police station to report the fire but did not mention the murders. He was charged with four counts of capital murder and one count of arson. In court, Thompson pleaded guilty to the charges but claimed he could not remember committing the murders. Despite his plea, family members recounted the love and dedication the deceased shared, expressing their anger and grief over the loss. Thompson, who expressed a desire to be executed, was found to have acted in a moment of passion, according to a psychiatric evaluation.
