Regina Hartwell was murdered in Austin in 1995, and her body was left in a burned vehicle. The investigation connected her death to Justin Thomas and a circle involving drugs, money, and complicated personal relationships. Thomas was convicted of murder, while testimony exposed the events leading to the killing and its concealment.
Content note: violence, abuse, or loss. Linked material may contain graphic descriptions. Screen dramatizations may change events and dialogue.
Austin, Texas. The map provides regional context; individually verified historical places are listed below.
Map sources checked September 14, 2026. No case-specific Odd Stops location was found in this review.
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Odd Stops
No verified match found. Source imagery is linked; only separately licensed photos are reproduced.
MurderData
No verified match found.
ArcGIS essay
Not included in this essay.
Reddit map
Reviewed as a general resource. Its coordinates and victim counts were not adopted as case evidence.
“No verified match” describes the accessible material found in this review, not proof that a source has never covered the case. MAP’s anonymous records were not individually matched to people.
Watch links, previews, and historical title listings are identified below. Availability varies by service and region; rentals or subscriptions may be required.
A verified movie listing has not been added yet.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
03TV & documentaries
2 items
Watch links, previews, and historical title listings are identified below. Availability varies by service and region; rentals or subscriptions may be required.
Oxygen · Season 12
Snapped: Killer Couples — Kim LeBlanc and Justin Thomas
Nonfiction screen coverage of this case. The linked page identifies the program or episode; playback, subscriptions, and regional availability vary.
Scorned: Love Kills — Love Is the Drug (S2 E20) (2013)
IMDb episode reference connected to the Regina Hartwell case. Listed release: 2013. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
Original newspaper coverage, hosted by Newspapers.com. Read each article in the context of its publication date; later findings may differ. Full-page access may require sign-in.
Featured newspaper clipping
Read a featured clipping here, then explore more reporting in the newspaper archive.
Austin American-Statesman · 1996-08-22 · Page 17
Thomas convicted of Hartwell’s murder
A local verdict report explains the competing testimony and the jury’s decision.
Sentencing was still to follow.
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Case videos, posts, family pages, and creator communities. Creator channels and groups cover multiple cases; each includes a link to the relevant episode. Facebook or TikTok may require sign-in, and groups may require membership approval. Community opinions are separate from verified reporting.
Brooke Makenna
OBSESSIVE LOVE TRIANGLE TURNS DEADLY (Regina Hartwell)
Video from Brooke Makenna covering the Regina Hartwell case. Length: 32:15.
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “Burning Rage.” This creator channel covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. The platform may ask you to sign in.
Outside blogs, personal essays, and creator write-ups. These reflect each author’s perspective. Check publication dates and compare claims with reporting and court records.
This section is awaiting its first entry.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
09Internet Archive
0 items
Individual records from Internet Archive: library books, historical broadcasts, and preserved web pages. A catalog listing does not guarantee free reading or full playback. Access, previews, and borrowing are controlled by Internet Archive.
This section is awaiting its first entry.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
10From the journal
0 articles
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11Court records & documents
1 items
Court opinions, filings, transcripts, and dockets, alongside clearly labeled parole records, released investigative files, and courtroom recordings. Each item identifies its source and scope. Allegations in filings are not findings of guilt. These selections are not complete case files. Where an online document could not be verified, a separate guide identifies the records office or archive to contact.
Court opinionArchive copy
Thomas v. State — Regina Hartwell murder appeal
Justin Thomas’s appeal from his murder conviction and life sentence in Regina Hartwell’s death. The opinion identifies the offense as murder and examines the evidence supporting the conviction.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
13Where are they now?
0 items
The latest information verified for this collection is listed below. Each source has its own date; these are not live custody records.
A current-status update has not been verified for this case yet.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
14Positive Outcome
0 items
Documented laws, advocacy, and reforms connected to this case. Changes do not undo the harm, and listing a law does not claim that it is effective or universally supported.
No case-specific law, reform, or advocacy initiative has been verified for this collection yet. This does not mean that none exists.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
Regina Hartwell — media, court records & case files | Unforgotten Casebook
07Social Media
4 itemsCase videos, posts, family pages, and creator communities. Creator channels and groups cover multiple cases; each includes a link to the relevant episode. Facebook or TikTok may require sign-in, and groups may require membership approval. Community opinions are separate from verified reporting.
Brooke Makenna
OBSESSIVE LOVE TRIANGLE TURNS DEADLY (Regina Hartwell)
Video from Brooke Makenna covering the Regina Hartwell case. Length: 32:15.
Watch on YouTubeOxygen
Love Triangle Led Man to Murder His Girlfriend’s Former Lover | Killer Couples Highlights | Oxygen
Episode recap or excerpt from Oxygen covering the Regina Hartwell case. Length: 12:56.
Watch on YouTubeYouTube Movies & TV
Scorned: Love Kills
Video from YouTube Movies & TV covering the Regina Hartwell case. Length: 43:34.
Watch on YouTubeFacebook · Creator channel
90s Crime Time — Facebook page
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “Burning Rage.” This creator channel covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. The platform may ask you to sign in.
Visit the Facebook page