Frederick Pheiffer Arrested for Murder

An obsession by a Dallas, Texas man for another's wife led police to arrest Frederick Pheiffer for a seven-year-old murder.

Pheiffer, arrested in the March 2000 slaying of former businessman Michael Thomas, relentlessly called and approached Thomas' wife, according to an affidavit.

Michael was found brutally beaten and shot at his Bluffwood Estates home.

"The affidavit, which was submitted by police seeking a warrant for Mr. Pheiffer's arrest, describes a complicated tale of his fixation," said writer Kimberly Durnan. "Mr. Pheiffer and Elizabeth Thomas, the victim's wife, had spent time together on a work project in Switzerland in 1999."

"Mr. Pheiffer, 52, also is accused of having called Mrs. Thomas 'multiple times during the day every day of the week,'" stated writer Holly Yan. "Mr. Pheiffer 'was so obsessed with her that he even had his wife, on two separate occasions, call (Michael's) house and leave a scripted message on the answering machine in an attempt to make Elizabeth believe her husband was having an affair,' the affidavit states."

According to research, Dallas police Detective Linda Crum wrote in the affidavit that Pheiffer killed Michael "because of his obsessive attitude" toward Elizabeth "and his excessive desire for her to leave her husband."

The affidavit stated that in March 2000 Crum noted that Frederick made 105 calls to Elizabeth's work, cell, or home phone numbers.

According to the police report, hours before his death, Michael, 52, had called police to report that he was sitting in his living room when he heard someone use a key to open the front door.

"Investigators are convinced the suspect attempted to burglarize (Michael's) home by using a key but was confronted by (Michael) as he attempted to enter the residence," according to the affidavit.

Friends later found Michael's body at his own house.

Police thought that Frederick might have returned to Michael's house later to kill him because he would be able to identify him in the burglary attempt or because of his desire to have Elizabeth to himself.

Even after Michael's funeral, Frederick was reported to still be seeking Elizabeth out.

As of Feb. 18th Frederick was being held in the Dallas County Jail on a $1 million bail.

Neighbors told police that Frederick and his wife moved in a few months ago and that all had been quiet.

Elizabeth and Michael had met when she drew a caricature of him.