Murder For Hire’s Terry Thomas shares his intense real-life story

Murder For Hire told the story of how Terry Thomas’s ex-wife tried to have him killed; now hear from Terry himself in our interview.

The newest Dick Wolf series, Murder For Hire, premiered on Sunday by introducing audiences to Terry Thomas—and explaining how he almost lost his life.

Terry’s ex-wife tried to pay a hitman to have him murdered, but was caught by investigators. It’s a true crime story that wouldn’t be out of place on Law & Order or Chicago PD, and Terry was brave enough to share his experience with us.

Learn more about Terry Thomas and why he got involved with Dick Wolf’s new project below, and if you missed the episode, you can watch it on demand or live on Oxygen (see show schedule).

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One Chicago Center: Your ex-wife attempting to have you killed was obviously a traumatic experience; what made you willing to revisit it for television?

Terry Thomas: I wanted to let people know that you just don’t know what some people are capable of, no matter how well you think you know them. Divorce is rarely a friendly thing, but some can go very, very wrong.

Did you learn anything from your Murder For Hire experience? See anything differently in hindsight?

I learned a lot more about how things actually went down through the show. There were a lot of people involved, and I am beyond grateful for everything that all of the law enforcement personnel did to save me and ensure my safety. It’s truly a debt that I have no way of repaying. My sincerest, heartfelt gratitude goes out to each and every one of them.

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Most people watching the show will never be able to fathom what you went through. Can you explain the feeling when you realized what was happening to you?

Shock, terror and disbelief. Hard to describe the feeling. It’s hard to imagine that someone you shared your life with tried to end your life. It’s still a surreal event to me.

How have you moved on since? Are you able to put this behind you?

It’s certainly not something I will ever forget. You just have to try to move on and not dwell on it. I’m trying to enjoy life more now. I’m a lot more cautious and probably less trusting than I was before but I’m not going to let it keep me from going places and doing things. Life is too short to run and hide.

Is there anything you want to say to Murder For Hire viewers as they watch your episode?

Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing. Some people are capable of things that you would never expect in your worst nightmares. Enjoy life to the fullest; just be cautious and be aware.

You’ve watched some crime dramas like Law & Order. Can you watch those now having been a potential victim, or does your experience color your enjoyment of TV like this?

I can certainly relate to them on a much different level now. I can empathize with the victims in a different way now than before.

Murder For Hire airs Sundays at 7 p.m. on Oxygen. For more on this and other Dick Wolf series, follow the Dick Wolf category at One Chicago Center.