On Oct. 9, 2014, the housekeeper who worked for an Oklahoma man’s family discovered the bodies of his 17-year-old sister, 48-year-old mother and 50-year-old father at their home. An investigation led to the man’s arrest for the murder of his family. Now, prosecutors have announced the intention to seek the death penalty.
Police reports indicate that at the time his family was killed, the man was attending the University of Oklahoma. Supposedly, his parents had cut him off financially, which angered him because he loved to shop. It is alleged that he killed his family in order to receive his inheritance. Police claim that he admitted that he killed all three of his family members.
Since investigators believe that he planned the killings in advance, he was charged with murder in the first-degree. Therefore, prosecutors were required to make a determination as to whether to seek the death penalty. Oklahoma prosecutors assert that the man should be punished by death because each of the three victims died in a particularly atrocious, heinous and cruel manner. Further, it is alleged that he killed his loved ones over money and may still be a threat to society.
Regardless of his alleged confession, this man is entitled to be presumed innocent until and unless prosecutors can prove he killed his family beyond a reasonable doubt. His criminal defense team will have the opportunity to review all of the evidence prosecutors intend to present at trial that they believe points to his guilt. Due to the severity of a first-degree murder charge and the possible penalty of death, his criminal defense team is undoubtedly working hard to make sure that his rights are protected and that he receives a fair trial.
Source: koco.com, “Death penalty sought for man charged with killing family“, June 16, 2015
