Jonesboro police believe the murder of a mother of two may have been a thrill killing.

The body of Rochelle Thomas was found last week, dumped in some woods behind the Harmony Crossroads Apartments, in Jonesboro.

Twenty-eight-year-old Nehemiah Johnson, Jr., of Riverdale, was arrested and charged in Thomas' death.  While police initially did not know the motive in the killing, they believe they have it now.

According to Johnson's arrest warrant, he believed he was going off to prison for a long time, so he decided he wanted to kill someone first.

Police say days before Thomas was murdered, Johnson went to the apartment of Roshanna Smith, who had recently broken up with him.  Police say Johnson held Smith at knifepoint, tying her hands together and using a child's shirt as a gag.

He then walked Smith to Tara Boulevard before returning to her apartment.

Believing that he was heading to prison for 30 years for kidnapping Smith, the warrant says Johnson called his sister and told her that he wanted to murder someone.

Investigators say Johnson spoke with Rochelle Thomas by cell phone eight times just before Thomas' death.  Police say Thomas worked as a paid escort and went to the Jonesboro apartment of Johnson's brother to have sex with Johnson.

It was inside that apartment, police say, that Johnson strangled Thomas using a telephone cord, then dumped her body behind the building.

Investigators say Thomas, 30, advertised that she was a masseuse, but, instead was a prostitute.  Police say she also had a history of drug use.  She lived in Riverdale with her two sons.  The boys are now in the care of Thomas' mother.