A Minnesota man, Gregory Thigpen, 41, threatened to kill his wife and leave their children “without parents” years before he fatally stabbed her and then turned a gun on himself, according to police and court documents. The couple’s 14-month-old granddaughter was found unharmed in the home.
Police responded to a 911 call reporting an assault at the North St. Paul residence just before 1 a.m. on Nov. 1, discovering Lisa Thigpen, 37, and Gregory Thigpen dead. Authorities believe the incident to be a murder-suicide, with Lisa Thigpen suffering visible stab wounds and Gregory Thigpen appearing to have died from a gunshot. The official causes of death were pending.
Court records reveal a history of domestic violence. In 2006, Gregory Thigpen was sentenced to 90 days in jail for domestic assault causing bodily harm against Lisa. Despite this, the couple went on to have three more children together, their youngest child being 13. They married in 2015.
In September 2018, Lisa Thigpen filed for a restraining order, detailing ongoing verbal and emotional abuse. She stated in court documents that Gregory had threatened to kill her, kill himself, and leave their children parentless. She described him as extremely controlling and isolating her from others, causing her to be constantly afraid, shaky, and unable to sleep.
During one incident that month, Gregory Thigpen allegedly became enraged during an argument about money and attacked Lisa, restraining her and attempting to strangle her. Lisa reported that he told her he was going to kill her. Their eldest daughter, then 14, intervened and told him to stop, after which he released Lisa. She sustained scratches and bruises to her neck, chest, and chin.
Just two months later, however, Lisa requested that the restraining order be removed, seeking marriage counseling to save their family and marriage. She stated that Gregory was following the order and she no longer felt threatened, noting his willingness to be more involved with their children.
An online fundraiser created to support the couple’s four surviving children had raised nearly $30,000 as of Friday. The fundraiser noted that their 22-year-old daughter, Paige, is now facing the responsibility of helping care for her younger siblings.