“I bashed his head in with a hammer…”

October 31, 2024

“I bashed his head in with a hammer … I pleaded guilty hoping to get life. I got what I deserve…” – Clarence Thomas.

This chilling confession echoes through history, drawing us into a harrowing tale that unfolded in a small Indiana town.

On July 3, 1936, the quiet steamy summer morning was shattered at a filling station just a few miles northwest of Churubsco, Indiana. Harry Zumbrun, the 21-year-old manager who also lived there with his wife Mary and infant son, was brutally murdered in a crime so violent it sent shockwaves through the community. The assault began with a hammer—the handle delivering the first blows before the perpetrator switched to the hammer’s head, unleashing a brutal fury upon Zumbrun. But the horror didn’t stop there; the true depths of cruelty were revealed when Clarence Thomas returned to slash Zumbrun’s throat, using a butcher knife from the Zumbrun’s kitchen, ensuring his victim’s demise to cover his tracks.

Zumbrun’s lifeless body was discovered in a pool of blood by Carl Sheets, a tobacco delivery driver who had unwittingly driven into the aftermath of this gruesome scene. Just moments before, he had seen a car speed away from the filling station. Confusion reigned as initial reports misidentified the murder as a shooting, relayed to authorities by a neighbor and a nightclub operator. State Police and Whitley and Allen County authorities blocked holiday weekend travel, and collected several reports of different cars scene in the area.

Clarence Thomas death certificate

The investigation quickly unraveled the truth. It was revealed that the last person to see Zumbrun alive was his neighbor, Joe, around 10 a.m. that fateful morning. By July 4th, less than 24 hours after the murder, Clarence Thomas was apprehended by Indiana State Police, his bloody shirt in view. Thomas admitted to the murder, initially claiming he was not alone but later asserting he acted solo, driven by desperation stemming from losing his wages in a poker game that evening, and the opportunity for a quick robbery at the “Dug Out” station, a frequented stop between his factory job and gambling in Fort Wayne, and his summer lodgings in Tri-Lake.

In a matter of days, the case moved rapidly through the judicial system. On July 7, only four days after Harry’s brutal murder, Thomas pled guilty to one of six counts of first-degree murder, claiming he never intended to kill Zumbrun but was forced to when his young and fit victim fought back. By pleading guilty he hoped that he might get a lighter sentence. Yet, after just three hours of trial and deliberation, the jury found him guilty on three counts of premeditated murder and three counts of murder during a robbery. In a dramatic turn, Judge Rob R. McNagny imposed a sentence that stunned Thomas. Rather than the life in prison he had hoped for, he received the death penalty, with the judge declaring he felt “morally obligated” to deliver such a sentence due to the heinous nature of the crime.

Harry H Zumbrun Death Certificate

Two weeks later, Thomas was transferred to Indiana State Prison, where he awaited his grim fate. On October 19, 1936, he faced the electric chair, sealing the tragic end to a life marked by violence and regret.

As the Indiana Historical Society, our mission is to illuminate the compelling stories of our state’s past. This story was recently highlighted at Whodunit? for a live public event on October 18. Save the date and join us for the next Whodunit, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025.

Below are some of the sources included in our research. Part of the challenge of historical research often includes the conflicting reporting of certain details.

The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, Indiana), Sat, 4 Jul 1936. Pg. 3.

Garret Clipper (Garrett, Indiana), Thu, 9 Jul 1936. Pg. 3

The Reporter-Times (Martinsville, Indiana), Mon, 6 Jul 1936. Pg. 2.

The Tipton Daily Tribune (Tipton, Indiana), Tue, 7 Jul 2936. Pg. 4.

Indiana, State of. 1936 (filed 20 Oct). “Certificate of Death: Clarence E. Thomas, Register Number 18263” Dept. of Health, Div. of Vital Statistics, Reg. Dist. No. 233, File No. 33860.

Indiana, State of. 1961 (field 8 Jul). “Coroner’s Certificate of Death: Harry H. Zumbrun” Dept. of Health, Div. of Vital Records, Death No. 762.

Churubusco High School. (1932). The Periscope. Pg 21. [Yearbook].

Lauren Peightel is a creative historian and artist, constantly on the hunt for more context, good food, fascinating stories, and fun non-traditional ways to share them. Originally from Central Pennsylvania, Peightel has been with the IHS Education and Engagement team for almost eight years.

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