"Every moment and every event of every man's life on earth plants something in his soul."

David Thorne lived in Atwater, at the home of his grandparents.  His mother was a long distance truck driver, and his father died when David was 5-years-old.  He spent a lot of time working on cars for friends, and building and rebuilding cars for himself.  He built a dune buggy from the ground up.  David was also interested in animals.  He owned a cougar named Harley.  He and Harley were pictured in the local paper once for appearing at a restaurant where he let children pose for photos with the cougar for charity donations.  He and his friends donated time to help out at a nearby wild animal habitat.  If anyone needed a favor or a helping hand, they never had to ask twice.

David was unaware he had a son until the fall of 1998, when a paternity request was issued.  As soon as he saw Brandon, he knew no test was necessary.  Brandon looked just like him.  He took to fatherhood immediately, showering his son with gifts and attention.  He took him fishing in the pond on his grandparents property, and took him to all of the places little boys love to go, showing him off to anyone he saw.  He and Yvonne took Brandon and his brothers on outings together.

David and Yvonne had a very liberal visitation schedule set up.  Any time David wanted to have Brandon additional days, she was willing to let him have him.  Often times she would contact David when Brandon was with him, and ask him to keep him longer, as she had things she had to do.  It was never a problem.  Even when David had to work, his grandparents enjoyed having Brandon there with them.  Custody was never an issue.  He knew of no reason at that time to question Yvonne’s parenting.

Brandon had only been in David's life a few short months when Yvonne was killed.  Despite what the newspapers reported, he did cry for Yvonne.  He cried at her parents home, at his home with his family and at her funeral.  Ready to do anything he could to help find out what happened to her, David went willingly to the Alliance police station to be interviewed.  When his grandfather contacted an attorney who in turn contacted the police to stop the interview until an attorney could be present, the police turned a casual interview into a nasty confrontation.  David returned home without his car and after having demeaning photos taken of him.  His positive attitude and willingness to help the police ended that day.

David Thorne was arrested in 1999, when he was 26-years-old.  He was living in Atwater with his son, Brandon, and his grandparents.  When he was arrested, his grandparents took custody of Brandon.  David is now 34-years-old.

David has professed his innocence since he realized that detectives had singled him out as their only suspect.  He has steadfastly maintained that he is innocent, never wavering in his determination for the truth to be told.

David is currently incarcerated at the Lebanon Correctional Facility in Lebanon, Ohio. 

Message from David-

When Yvonne was killed, the Layne family lost their daughter.  I lost a good friend and the mother of my son.  Yvonne and I got along well.  She contacted me to tell me that she had a child, possibly mine, just before I was contacted by the court for paternity testing.  I met Brandon for the first time when I went in for testing.  I knew he was mine instantly, because he looked just like me.  Even though the results weren't back, I started going to Yvonne's house to spend time with my son there.  I thought that way he could get used to being with me before I took him to visit for the first time away from his mother's home.  Within a week, Brandon was comfortable enough with me to stay his first weekend.

When the paternity results were in, a court date was set.  Yvonne told the court how well we got along.  She told them that she hadn't notified me that she'd had my son.  Because of this the court waived the birthing costs.  She told the court that even before the results were in, I'd already started supporting my son.

I was at work when my grandfather paged me to tell me that Yvonne had died.  Her mother had called to tell him what had happened, and to have him contact me to come and get Brandon.  I immediately left work and went to the Layne's.  I expressed my condolences and took my son to my home.  I picked him up wearing a diaper and one sock.  I went shopping and bought the things he would need, to add to the things I already had.

Detectives told my grandmother that I was a person of 'extreme interest'.  That in cases like this, it's always the family or boyfriend.  I went to the Alliance Police Station to speak with detectives.  I wanted to help them find who had done this.  Instead they were rude and verbally insulting.  They repeated, "Help us help you".  They repeatedly asked me "why I had done this".  I repeatedly told them "I didn't do this".  The truth didn't matter to them, and it didn't matter to the court.  I was convicted of a crime I did not commit. 

I would never hurt Yvonne.  She was the mother of my son.  My ex-girlfriend, but still my friend.  My son not only lost his mother, he lost his father due to the incompetence, laziness and ignorance of the people charged with solving the crime and those responsible for convicting an innocent man.    

David Thorne

2007