Sounak Sengupta
In April 1994, an 18-year-old cashier, Heidi Allen, disappeared under mysterious circumstances from her workplace in New Haven, New York. While one individual was convicted a year later for the crime, an informant brought up James Steen’s name about two decades later. A convicted murderer on unrelated charges, James became a significant character in the abduction case over the years, as chronicled by NBC’s ‘Dateline: The Informant.
Who is James “Thumper” Steen?
James H. “Thumper” Steen was a tow truck owner who used to pick up junk cars and take them to a scrapyard to have them crushed before stripping them for scrap. He lived in the Town of Parish in Oswego County, New York. According to news reports, he married Victoria “Vicki” West in 2007 and had kids together. James had a reputation for violence and an extensive criminal record, including resisting arrest and illegal possession of marijuana in 1990 and menacing and endangering the welfare of a child in 2010.
His second cousin, Charles Carr Sr., said, “I’ve known him my whole life. He’s always been trouble.” James’ wild temper got in the way of his marriage when he allegedly pinned his wife, Vicki, on their couch in their Hastings residence until she passed out on February 28, 2010. According to an Oswego County sheriff’s report, he told her, “I don’t know if I am going to let you up off this couch dead or alive.” The report further stated how the couple’s 2-year-old son begged his father to stop from a few feets away.
The infant cried, “Let go of Mommy! I want my mommy!” However, Vicki survived the attack and left with the kids. According to news reports, she got involved in a romantic relationship with 21-year-old Carr Jr., who used to work for James. According to his father, Carr Sr., his son used to drive James’ tow truck and operated the rollback, a tow truck with a large bed that vehicles were loaded onto. Carr Sr. also recounted how his son and James got into a physical altercation in August 2010.
According to Carr Sr., James got in Carr Jr.’s face at the former’s driveway in Hastings, and the latter punched him in the face. James reportedly fell before getting up and walking back into his house. Vicki informed James that all was over between them on September 8, 2010. Four days later, James showed up at her Pulaski apartment on September 12 with a shotgun and shot Vicki and Carr Jr. dead from close range. He later testified his toddler was also inside the apartment, but he had let him out before the shootings.
James “Thumper” Steen is Serving His Sentence Today
As police officials surrounded the apartment and tried to convince him to come out, James called Carr Sr. and said, “I told you it was gonna be bad. Now it’s all over with.” He told the officers he was going through the victims’ cell phones and reading their text exchanges. According to news reports, he allegedly told the hostage negotiator he “was upset because Vicki was having their children call Carr Jr. father.” James could be heard shouting in a call recording, “It’s just like their mother wanted – Chuckie’s their dad! You need to save taxpayers money and come through this door!”
However, the police negotiator was able to convince James to surrender peacefully after seven hours of negotiation. He later testified in court that he did not plan on killing Carr Jr. and termed it an accident. Police photographs and autopsy reports refuted his claims, and he was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole for double first-degree murders in June 2011. He made around 48 calls from jail, bragging about his crime, but never showed any remorse for his crimes.
While he was incarcerated, Tonya M. Priest alleged James had told her and Vicki about playing a role in Heidi Allen’s abduction and alleged murder. According to news reports, he had told Megan Shaw and Tonya, who were his old friends, about killing and disposing of Heidi’s body since she was a police informant. However, James denied the allegations and claimed they were lying. Joe Mannino Jr., his fellow inmate at the Oswego County Jail, claimed James had always been “a bragger” and allegedly told him “wrong people” were convicted in Heidi’s case.
James took the stand in January 2015 in a trial for overturning Gary Thibodeau’s conviction in Heidi’s case and alleged Roger Breckenridge had told him two decades ago that he was involved in disposing of the body of 1994 kidnapping victim Heidi. However, he was never charged with Heidi’s abduction since the prosecution and the investigators refused to believe the informants’ testimonials and the court did not find ample proof to tie him to the abduction. According to official records, the 52-year-old is serving his sentence at the Mohawk Correctional Facility in Oneida County, New York.
Read More: Where Are Tonya Priest and Richard Thibodeau Now?
