Jerome Thomas Says He Is Ready for Moorhead Murder Retrial

Facing two counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder, 36-year-old Jerome Thomas prepares for his upcoming court appearance as a November retrial approaches in Clay County.

Thomas sat down for an interview at the Clay County Jail on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, telling WDAY News that he wanted to share his side of the story following a mistrial in April. Judge Jade Rosenfeldt declared a mistrial in April after a jury deliberated over three days and reported they could reach an agreement on four charges but remained deadlocked on the fifth.

The case stems from an incident on April 13, 2025, in the 1400 block of 27th Avenue South in Moorhead. Thomas admitted to driving to the south Moorhead home and shooting 39-year-old James Hamilton in the driveway.

“When I pulled up … James pulled the gun out on me,” Thomas told WDAY News during a video call interview conducted by reporter Matt Henson.

“I knew he was shot, but I didn’t hope he was murdered,” Thomas said.

According to prosecutors, Hamilton’s 17-year-old son attacked Thomas at the residence earlier that morning. Thomas said that he occasionally stayed at the home and was surprised to encounter Hamilton there, noting that a restraining order had previously kept Hamilton away. The two men had reportedly been feuding for months via text messages regarding a woman from a previous relationship.

Following the shooting of Hamilton, Thomas fired a shot into the car of Hamilton’s girlfriend, who was parked down the block.

“I hate the whole situation, but I was put in that position,” Thomas said, adding that he could have been the one who ended up dead.

Thomas Reflects on Courtroom Outbursts and Rejected Plea Deal

During the April proceedings, Thomas acted as his own lawyer and faced scoldings from Judge Rosenfeldt regarding several courtroom outbursts. Reflecting on that period, Thomas expressed disappointment with his own behavior, attributing the disruptions to the intense pressure of self-representation.

Thomas said that he rejected a plea deal that offered a 30-year prison sentence. He ultimately fled to Michigan following the shooting and was arrested the next day.

“Honestly, scared,” Thomas said when asked why he drove to Michigan if the shooting was an act of self-defense.

Thomas’ girlfriend, 33-year-old Abby Fredrickson, pleaded guilty to aiding an offender after admitting to driving Thomas to Michigan. She was sentenced to three years of probation earlier this year.

With his retrial scheduled for the last week of November, Thomas expressed hope that jurors will evaluate the evidence fairly. “I hope the jury and people keep an open mind,” Thomas told InForum.