[9] Thornton was also detailed in a Discovery Channel double-length episode of The FBI Files named "Dangerous Company" in 2003. Andrew Tyler Drew Thornton, 19, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, passed away on August 27, 2021 at his residence. There is a problem with your email/password. She was a lifelong devout member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. They were divorced in 1970, and neither remarried. He told her horror stories about U.S. military operations in Vietnam, she says. Funeral arrangement under the care ofAltmeyer Funeral Homes & Crematory. Ill never forget his laugh and how he brought everyones mood up. ANDREW THORNTON OBITUARY. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Lourdes "Ludie" Abeto Litz Obituary - Corpus Christi Caller Times Thornton was one of nine Kentucky men named in that indictment, which was handed down amid hints that a larger drug-smuggling conspiracy existed. Andrew Carter Thornton II(October 30, 1944 - September 11, 1985) was an American narcotics officer and lawyer who became the head member of "The Company", a drug smugglingring in Kentucky. Banks told USA Today she was forced to omit aspects of Thorntons life that were too wild even for this movie. Nevertheless, the character is so outrageous that when star Keri Russell first brought the script home, her husband and fellow actor Matthew Rhys read it and immediately said, Text [Elizabeth] Banks and tell her I want to play that guy.. Thornton resigned from the Lexington police department that year and joined Bryant in the new venture. Smithfield William Bill Edmon Thornton, age 86, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, in Wake Medical Center in Raleigh. "Cocaine-Carrying Chutist Was Ex-Policeman, Lawyer", "Woman to Go on Trial As Smuggler's Helper", "NTSB Accident Report Identification: ATL85LA273", "Cocaine Bear: The True Story Behind the Ultimate Party Animal", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Andrew_C._Thornton_II&oldid=1151568992, This page was last edited on 24 April 2023, at 21:27. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? They weren't in it for the money alone." He surrounded Triad, the isolated Jessamine County farm that he owned, with concertina wire, setting up barracks and digging trenches, according to Kentucky State Police. It would take some time before authorities could piece together exactly what happened, but in its account of Thorntons dramatic death, Time magazine noted that drug smugglers were increasingly resorting to desperate measures to evade radar technology from federal authorities. As a policeman, Thornton would meet "with Mafia hit men from Detroit who had contracts on him," she said. "Thornton's farm was the subject of aerial and ground surveillance several times following reports that Thornton was operating a guerrilla warfare training camp for mercenaries," according to Sgt. Gene Berry, a Florida state's attorney, was murdered at point blank range Jan. 16, 1982, when he opened the door to his Punta Gorda residence; he had successfully prosecuted one of Thornton's Fresno codefendants. Thornton attended law school at night and received his law degree in 1976. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. Kathleen Diane Rosa 10/26/1955 - 04/24/2023 A search of a cabin Brown owned in Dead Horse Hollow uncovered a laboratory for manufacturing a poison that was sold on the streets as cocaine, according to Black. [1] He pled no contest in Fresno to a misdemeanor drug charge and the felony charges were dropped. Robert Thornton Kathleen Diane Rosa, age 67, of Thornton, Colorado passed away on Monday, April 24, 2023. She was preceded in death by her parents, Reynaldo and Esperanza Abeto, her sister Teresita Dimalanta, and her husband, James Stephen Litz. This man had known Brown and Thornton for many years, had watched them go from one side of law enforcement to the other. It was a quiet, partly cloudy morning when Andrew Drew Thornton II fell out of the sky and landed on a driveway in Knoxville, Tennessee, with $15 million worth of cocaine strapped to his body. He is also an avid film buff, reader, and lover of great stories. He was a loyal friend and much beloved son. He told her he was of a hero consciousness, that at another time in history he would have been a Genghis Khan, a ninja or a samurai, a valorous paragon of battle. He also attended law school at night and received a law degree in 1976, though he never practiced law. Ryan Moore horse jockey. These real-life events from 1985 were the inspiration behind the .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Elizabeth Banksdirected action-comedy movie Cocaine Bear, which hits theaters today. Andrew Thornton Obituary (2002 - 2021) - Legacy Remembers Andrew Carter Thornton II was born on October 30th, 1944. Member of "The Company" SmugglerUS Army VeteranFormer Lexington, KY Police/Narcotics OfficerConvict (Convicted on conspiracy to import marijuana)Military Decorations:Parachutist Badge (Jump Wings)National Defense Service MedalArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalPurple Heart (1965 Operation Power Pack)Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster with V-device for service in the line of duty in the Dominican RepublicHe was killed while parachuting from a Cessna Air Aircraft. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. ", In his pocket were three epigrams. He was wearing night vision goggles, a bulletproof vest, and Gucci loafers. Search above to list available cemeteries. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. He is survived by his loving wife Cindy; children, David and Cammy Thornton, Andrew and Kate Thornton, Michael and Meghan Thornton, and Katie and Tyler VanRee; grandchildren, Kennedy, Melanie, Hailey, Claire, Brennan, Mason, Addie, Cayden, Micah, and . Immediate Family: Son of James Murray Thornton and Willa Mae Thornton. He competed at high levels of competition in several of these areas. Thornton was arrested as a fugitive in North Carolina, where he had fled to. To plant Memorial Trees in memory of William "Bill" Edmon Thornton, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store. Sorry! The story of Thornton was examined in Dominick Dunne's Power, Privilege, and Justice and in Sally Denton's The Bluegrass Conspiracy. All of my condolences go out to his family. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Saint-Martin-d'Hres, Isre, Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes, France - City, Town In 1977 Bryant formed a private security company called Executive Protection Ltd. Parrish & Underwood Funeral Homes and Cremations. His notebook contained the names and addresses of several Lexington men, including Thornton, as well as references to planned operations with names such as "Blue Fin.". Shirley Lou Brown, age 95, of Broomfield, Colorado passed away on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. How Thornton would have felt about his untimely death and less-than-flattering portrayal in Cocaine Bear is anybodys guess. Soon after graduation, Annette and John Franklin Anderson (Jack) married. Bill worked for Carolina Packers Inc. for many years and he loved their hotdogs too. "He would have loved the concept of the warriors who fall from the sky.". Born, January 14, 1937, in Sampson County, he was a son of the late Ivy Edmond Thornton and Anniebelle Jackson Thornton. He made a second stab at college in 1966 but dropped out after a year. I'll cover a different true crime case every time I post, so be sure to follow, comment, and share if you want. Now, this should be the end of Thorntons story; however, there was another incident three months later that linked all the way back to him. Available Information : Postal address, Phone, #COM# #TYPE_COMMUNE# office fax number, Website, Email address, Mayor, Geographical coordinates, Population, Altitude, Area, Weather and Hotel. He is the author of two true crime books: Love Me or Else and Fatal Jealousy. Thorntons upbringing wasnt typical of a career criminal. His journey with smuggling began after he received tenure in his time working in the narcotics unit, where he became the head of a drug smuggling ring known as The Company. After his time in the Army, Thornton became a police officer in Lexington, Kentucky, and joinedagain, somewhat ironicallythe narcotics squad in the 1970s, working on investigations with the local arm of the Drug Enforcement Administration, according to The Washington Post. 1801 Baltic Avenue Virginia Beach, VA ANDREW THORNTON OBITUARY Andrew Thornton's passing has been publicly announced by Altmeyer Funeral Home - Maestas Chapel in Virginia Beach, VA. Legacy. **In either case, please reference that the donation is being made towards the Ludie Litz Scholarship Fund**, Never allow the sun to set on an angry heart; instead live, laugh, love as if each day were your last.. At night, he attended Eastern Kentucky University and in 1971 received a degree in law enforcement. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Andrew Thornton (63367160)? 1801 Baltic Ave, Virginia Beach, VA 23451. Vernon Andrew Thornton (1931 - 1992) - Genealogy He is preceded Thornton was one of nine Kentucky men named in that indictment, which was handed down amid hints that a larger drug-smuggling conspiracy existed. Roberts. He flaunted his soldier-of-fortune ideology, his professional connections, his sky-diving exploits, his macho command of weaponry and spy gadgetry. Please reset your password. When Betty Zairing met Thornton, he was training racehorses and thinking of becoming a policeman. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. Failed to delete flower. He competed at high levels of competition in several of these areas. The story also inspired the film Cocaine Bear, released in February 2023. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. "They were cowboys," said a friend of both Thornton and Brown, who asked that his name not be used. Zairing said that the closer Thornton moved toward a James Bond character, the less she was able to relate to him, to live with the secrecy and danger of his life as a narc. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. "He was recuperating from wounds he had received in the Dominican Republic, where he had really come into his own as a paratrooper. Sorry I could not be there in person. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. She was preceded in death by her parents, Reynaldo and Esperanza Abeto, her sister Teresita Dimalanta, and her husband, James Stephen Litz. Andrew Carter Thornton II (ACT II) is a name unknown to most except as a piece of historical trivia - the man who fell from the sky in 1985 with millions of dollars of cocaine strapped to his body. Ronald Keiffer Graham, age 91, of Thornton, Colorado passed away on Thursday, April 27, 2023. He was predeceased by : his grandfather Roger Thornton; and his aunt Rebecca Stone (Thornton). But the ill-fated flight of ex-narcotics-officer-turned-drug-smuggler Thornton, who tossed his stash overboard before leaping from the plane, was not only a true story, but also a more absurd one even by Cocaine Bear standards. Mark Andrew Thornton. His death also served as the inspiration for the story arc of season four of FX Network's Justified. August 27, 2021 You need a Find a Grave account to continue. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. He considers it almost reasonable, suggesting that neither ever left the DEA but became smugglers to better infiltrate narcotics organizations. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}How Pete Davidsons Life Inspired Bupkis, Jerry Springers Surprising Stint as a Politician, 7 Memorable Guests from The Late Late Show, Tucker Carlson Leaves Fox News. His body was found about 6-8 hours later in the backyard of a Knoxville, Tennessee residents house. "He went out like an eagle scout," Zairing says of Thornton's death. He ultimately pleaded no contest to marijuana conspiracy charges, and received a six-month sentence at a minimum-security facility in Lexington; Bryant is currently serving a 15-year sentence at the Federal Correctional Institute in Memphis. Bill enjoyed cutting grass and would make sure that elders in the community had their yards mowed. Sally Ann Denton, a former TV and wire service reporter, covered part of the Thornton story in Kentucky. Would you like to offer Andrew Tyler Thorntons loved ones a condolence message? "He Thornton was very fond of the words of the Oriental philosopher who said, 'Man can overcome any obstacle if he knows in his heart that he must and in his mind that he shall,' " the Rev. A memorial service for Susie will be held Wednesday, May 24, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. [2], During his tenure, he began smuggling. The 40-year-old died from the fall, and the plane, itself, later crashed into a mountain in western North Carolina. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Pine Level P.H. Visitation will begin at 10:00 AM. The death that best summed up the contradictions of the sort of life Thornton led, all the philosophical and cultural reversals, was that of Harold Wade Brown, former head of the DEA office in Kentucky. "He loved me," she says, "but he resented having a wife." His rivals don't share this romanticized version. Thornton was educated at Sayre in Lexington, a private elementary school, and attended Sewanee Military Academy, a prestigious Tennessee institution. an adventurer driven by adrenaline rushes" who became bored with being a cop. He wore camouflage fatigues and swastikas and bulletproof vests, and talked about eyes for eyes and teeth for teeth. Investigators found that he was carrying night-vision goggles and wearing a bulletproof vest, Time magazine reported. It may not be the best ending to this story, but it most definitely was the most unexpected. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. A funeral mass will be held at 10am on Tuesday, May 2nd, 2023 at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church. The strange death, and even stranger life of "Cocaine Cowboy" Andrew Mary Horn Obituary (1945 - 2023) - Sanger, TX - Dallas Morning News He is survived by his wife of sixty-one years Mrs. Ruth Kennedy Thornton; daughters, Donna Capps (Wesley) of Smithfield, Gina Davis (Craig) of Smithfield, Carol Gunter (John) of Smithfield; brothers, Bryan Thornton (LaRena) of Raleigh, Jerry Thornton (Pat) of Smithfield, Glenn Thornton (Debbie) of Newton Grove; sisters, Lottie Corbett of Newton Grove and Ida Mozingo of Smithfield; grandchildren, Lara Jackson (Chris), Ryan Capps (girlfriend, Stormy Williams), Savannah Stewart, Chyann Gunter, Brooke Stewart and Alyssa Capps; great-grandchildren, Lucas Barbour, Thomas Jackson, Andrew Jackson and Pas little girl, Makenna Jackson; many nieces and nephews as well as extended family, Shauna Lee (Kelvin), Antonio Blake, Janet and Madelyn Johnson, Jacey Velazquez, Tonia Puckett, Mataya Grimes and Joaquin Trejo. One read: "There is only one tactical principle not subject to change: it is to inflict the maximum amount of wounds, death and destruction on the enemy in the minimum amount of time.". For me Drew was my favorite person to spend my time with online. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. For years, Thornton pursued his avocation of preparing himself and others for Armageddon. The cause of death? "They shared the same mentality, the same paranoia. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Thornton was exceedingly eccentric and paranoid, and his short life was filled with stories as bizarre and colorful as that of his death. Hugs to you all during this difficult time. Andrew Tyler "Drew" Thornton, 19, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, passed away on August 27, 2021 at his residence. They were paying their last respects to Andrew Carter Thornton II, who had single-handedly summed up the dark side of the American dream, or at least the Kentucky version of it, when he landed on a Knoxville, Tenn., driveway with several million dollars worth of cocaine strapped to his waist and a failed parachute strapped to his back. TOM THORNTON OBITUARY. Early life, education and military[edit] Andrew Carter Thornton II was born on October 30, 1944, in Bourbon County, Kentucky. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. He quit school to join the Army, and often often spoke of his training as a paratrooper for the Army's 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C., and of being awarded a Purple Heart for service in the 1965 U.S. invasion of the Dominican Republic. Nothing more and nothing less. How Pete Davidsons Life Inspired Bupkis, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. 5 Things To Know About Andrew Thornton And The 'Cocaine Bear' | News Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. They Lived their 57 year marriage until his passing in 2016. All Rights Reserved. His death, however, makes for an interesting story on its own. Her varied work experience included stints at Amoco, Bath Iron Works, Energy Industries, Inc. and KEDT.
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