Former South Bend resident sentenced for her husband's murder and dismemberment in LaPorte

LAPORTE — A LaPorte woman received a 63-year prison sentence Sept. 29 in connection with the fatal shooting of her husband and dismemberment of his body.

Thessalonica Allen, 36, formerly of South Bend, was convicted by a jury on July 27 of murder, abuse of a corpse and altering a crime scene, both level 6 felonies, along with two level 5 felony counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and two level 6 felony counts of neglect of a dependent.

Fifty-seven years of the sentence were for the 2021 killing of Randy Allen inside their home at Maple Tree Apartments, 1405 W. 18th St.

Prior to sentencing, relatives of the victim told the court that Randy Allen loved his wife and four stepchildren, and, if there were problems, Thessalonica Allen should have just left instead of destroying the family.

Guilty verdict: Jury takes half hour to convict ex-South Bend resident of husband's murder in LaPorte

The two oldest children, in their teens, heard the gunshot then watched their stepfather bleed to death after their mother told them not to call for help, according to evidence presented at trial.

The victim’s uncle, Larry Allen of South Bend, told her, “You are strictly the devil.”

“So was he,” Thessalonica Allen said.

LaPorte Circuit Court Judge Tom Alevizos, with his arm outstretched and index finger pointed at Thessalonica Allen, warned her not to speak again until given permission or he would hold her in contempt.

Testimony presented at trial indicated the couple was arguing over a social media post seen by Randy Allen that made him think she was interested in another man.

At one point, according to testimony, he told her he was leaving.

According to the testimony, she told him he was not leaving then pulled out a gun and shot him in the arm.

The bullet ricocheted toward his rib cage and came to rest in his spinal cord, authorities said.

According to prosecutors, Thessalonica Allen manipulated her children into helping her clean up the bloody crime scene and drag the body outside, but it was too heavy for them to lift into her vehicle, so they dragged the body back inside their apartment.

Thessalonica Allen went out the next day and purchased an ax she used to cut off the legs, prosecutors said, but the body was still too heavy for her and the oldest children to place into the vehicle.

Her plan was to drive to South Bend and set the car on fire to destroy the body, authorities said.

In a letter read out loud in the courtroom, the victim’s brother, Robert Allen, asked his sister in-law how she could do such a thing.

“It shows to me, in this world, monsters truly exist,” he said.

Thessalonica Allen, claiming to be a battered wife, argued self-defense and that her husband lunged at her before she fired the gun.

After sentencing, LaPorte County Deputy Prosecutor Julianne Havens said there were no bruises or other injuries discovered on Allen following her arrest or any other evidence of him striking her physically.

Havens also said notes recovered from the home written by Thessalonica Allen outlined different ways for her to kill Randy Allen.

The deputy prosecutor said the notes also contained the names of people she felt would help her carryout the plot.

“From the evidence that came out, there was no self-defense," Havens said. "I don’t think it held any water.”

Alevizos said Allen will be more than 80 years old before she is eligible for parole.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Murder dismemberment draws 63 years in prison for LaPorte woman