The two thieves are interesting characters because of their death banter over the guilt or innocents of Jesus. They both carried their crosses along with Jesus along the Via de la Rosa, to Golgotha where they were crucified on either side of Jesus. We don’t know if they knew each other before execution but can assume they did since they both acknowledge that they deserved their punishment.
What’s striking about the conversation is that this thief is penitent and acknowledges Jesus’ divinity, asking him to remember him when he comes into his kingdom. In a very revealing answer Jesus tells the thief that, ‘today you will be with me in paradise.’ To be with Jesus is to be in paradise.