Life sentence for man convicted in cold case murder of off-duty police sergeant in Baltimore
A man convicted in the 2017 murder of an off-duty police sergeant in Baltimore was sentenced Wednesday to life plus 33 years in prison.
Dion Thompson was convicted late last month in the cold case killing of D.C. Metro Police Sgt. Tony Mason, Jr.
Mason, 40, was shot and killed in November 2017 while sitting in a parked car on Elgin Avenue with a woman he was dating. She was also shot but survived.
A judge sentenced Thompson on Wednesday to two life sentences and 33 years behind bars.
"Nearly nine years after Sgt. Tony Mason Jr. was senselessly murdered, justice has finally been served to the man responsible," prosecutors for the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office said in a statement. "While no amount of time can restore the years Sgt. Mason's family have lost, today's sentence of life plus 33 years ensures that Defendant Dion Thompson will spend the rest of his days being held accountable for the devastating choices he made."
A break in the cold case
The case went unsolved for nearly six years until detectives received a tip in 2023 that led to murder charges against Thompson.
Prosecutors said he was the first person to be indicted by the State's Attorney Office's Cold Case Homicide Unit.
"For nearly a decade, Sergeant Mason's death has weighed heavily on his family, our Department, and the community he served. Throughout this long journey, our partners at the Baltimore Police Department, the FBI, the ATF, and the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office never stopped pursuing answers. Their commitment brought us to this moment," D.C. Metro Police Interim Chief Jeffery W. Carroll said following Thompson's conviction. "We hope this verdict provides some measure of peace for everyone who continues to feel the weight of his loss."
Thompson, who was 18 at the time of the shooting, was in a federal prison on unrelated drug and gun charges when he was arrested in 2024. He was found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and second-degree attempted murder last week.
Prosecutors said Thompson was the leader of a gang called "The Slickest Ones," and he teamed up with accomplices to carry out the shooting.
A person told investigators Thompson admitted to shooting at the parked car because he became paranoid the people inside "were there to either rob him or retaliate against him for all the robberies he was committing," according to the charging documents.
The documents revealed Thompson later found out the victim was a police officer after watching the news.
Sgt. Mason's "commitment to his community extended far beyond the badge"
Mason was a 17-year veteran of the D.C. Metro Police Department. He was off duty and unarmed on the night of the murder.
"Sgt. Mason dedicated his life to protecting others. By all accounts, he was the kind of police officer who believed in extending a helping hand, especially to young men who needed guidance and an opportunity to choose a better path. Instead, the Defendant chose to steal the life of a husband, a father, a son, and a public servant whose commitment to his community extended far beyond the badge," prosecutors said in Wednesday's statement.
Prosecutors also credited the woman who was in the car with Mason for her testimony in the case.
"I want to recognize the extraordinary courage of the surviving victim in this case, whose strength throughout this prosecution was nothing short of remarkable. She endured unimaginable trauma, returned to the courtroom to relive that horrific night, and delivered a powerful victim impact statement that reminded everyone present that the consequences of violent crime do not end when the gunfire stops. Her resilience and unwavering commitment to justice helped ensure that the truth prevailed," they said in their statement.
