OAKLAND, Calif. — In an emotionally charged courtroom Friday, Melina Armstead stood just feet away from Jamal Thomas — the man convicted of murdering her husband — and delivered a powerful message: “Remember us, Jamal, every single day for the rest of your life.”
Thomas, 48, was sentenced by Alameda County Judge Thomas Reardon to life in prison for the May 2020 fatal shooting of Miles Armstead, with parole eligibility after 28 years and eight months. Reardon ordered that Thomas serve his three convictions consecutively rather than concurrently.
The sentencing marked the end of a tragic, yearslong case that not only devastated a family but also drew scrutiny over how local justice and mental health systems handle ongoing harassment and threats.
Melina Armstead, now raising the couple’s young daughter Ava alone, described the years of emotional, financial, and physical exhaustion that followed her husband’s killing. She was seven months pregnant when Miles was shot outside their former East Oakland home, a place they’d hoped to sell after being driven out by months of harassment from Thomas — a former neighbor who spiraled after losing his own home in 2019.
According to court records, Thomas, delusional and under the influence of drugs, wrongly blamed Armstead for his family’s misfortunes and terrorized the Armsteads for months. Police were called to their home more than 20 times. Despite multiple arrests, the harassment continued.
On May 1, 2020, as Miles returned to prep the now-vacant home for sale, Thomas approached and fatally shot him on the sidewalk in broad daylight.
Melina recalled how her husband, a kind-hearted man, had shown compassion to Thomas even during his most erratic moments. “He saw you, he felt for you,” she told Thomas in court. “He wished life was different for you.”
Thomas’ case became politically charged when former Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price added a sentencing enhancement that could have extended his prison term by 10 years. Price was later accused of retaliating against Thomas’ attorney, Jennie Otis, for criticizing her handling of the case. The enhancement was ultimately thrown out by Judge Reardon, who cited concerns of political motivation, saying the decision “doesn’t pass the stink test.”
Although Thomas will now be eligible for parole before serving a full life term, Melina vowed to be present at any future hearings. “If and when any parole hearing comes up, you will see me,” she said firmly.
Their daughter, Ava, now four, shares her father’s name and love for superheroes. She tells classmates her “daddy Miles lives in heaven with Jesus.”
Melina ended her statement with a promise that Miles Armstead’s memory — and the injustice of his death — will never be forgotten.
