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Thread: Keenan Sean Burkhalter Sentenced to LWOP in 2018 OK Triple Murder

  1. #1
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Keenan Sean Burkhalter Sentenced to LWOP in 2018 OK Triple Murder


    Hosea Fletcher, Marquis Brown and Maziah Brown





    Death penalty sought in deaths of three people

    By Samantha Vicent
    Tulsa World

    The Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office filed notice Tuesday of its intent to seek the death penalty against a man charged in the deaths of three people, including a 7-year-old, in what is the second such request within the past week.

    In a bill of particulars filed late Tuesday afternoon, District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler argued Keenan Sean Burkhalter, 23, should receive capital punishment for the homicides of Maziah Brown, Marquis Brown and Hosea Fletcher in the 600 block of East Seminole Place early on Oct. 14. ​

    Andrew Conard, 20, Burkhalter’s co-defendant, testified at a preliminary hearing in January that Burkhalter told him he carried out the killings and arson because he thought Marquis Brown, also known as Ramon Brown, “drugged up his girl.”

    The comment, according to Conard’s testimony, came while the two watched an early-morning television news report on the discovery of three bodies inside the house.

    “He said ‘I did that,’ ” Conard said of Burkhalter’s comment, telling the court at the time that it sounded “like he accomplished something.”

    The bill of particulars indicates the state’s belief Burkhalter, 23, killed Maziah Brown, who was 7 at the time, for the purpose of avoiding arrest for the deaths of Marquis Brown, who was her father, and Fletcher.

    It also says Burkhalter’s actions created a great risk of death to more than one person and that the Browns’ shooting deaths, accompanied by having their residence set on fire, were “especially heinous, atrocious or cruel.”

    Burkhalter is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, two of which have alternative theories alleging the Browns died while Burkhalter was in the process of committing first-degree arson. Conard also faces three first-degree murder counts and has said he does not expect a plea offer in exchange for his testimony against Burkhalter.

    “During the commission of these crimes, the defendant shot a 7-year-old child in the head and started a fire that ultimately contributed to her death and to the desecration of her remains,” the bill states, adding: “The defendant has two prior felony convictions, evincing a disregard for the laws of the state of Oklahoma.”

    Reports from the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner’s Office showed the Browns had significant levels of carbon monoxide in their system. The bill of particulars noted that was evidence the two were still alive when the home caught fire.

    Police arrested Burkhalter shortly after receiving a tip claiming he bragged about killing Marquis Brown and the others.

    It is the second time in less than a week the district attorney’s office requested consideration of capital punishment. Kunzweiler on March 27 filed a bill of particularsagainst Ondriel Smith, who is accused of two counts of first-degree murder in the September shootings deaths of brothers Keith and Glynn Williams in the 5600 block of East Skelly Drive.

    Smith, according to Kunzweiler’s office, shot five people in a 33-day timespan last year, leaving the Williams brothers dead. The others, which included Smith’s ex-girlfriend, survived.

    Conard, during his preliminary hearing testimony, said he drove Burkhalter to Ramon Brown's home the night of Oct. 13 and got a call early the next morning asking for a ride away from the residence.

    Conard told Assistant District Attorney Kevin Gray that he purchased lighter fluid at a convenience store after Burkhalter, who had a gun, said he needed it.

    He said he picked Burkhalter up in an area near the Seminole Place house but that Burkhalter asked him to return because he forgot something. Once Conard drove around the block, he testified that he saw Burkhalter starting a fire using the lighter fluid while all the windows to the house were open.

    Under cross-examination from Assistant Public Defender Kasey Baldwin, Conard said he initially concealed Burkhalter’s involvement from police because “my family was still out there.”

    He told Gray that Burkhalter later pointed the gun at him and ordered him not to tell anyone what he saw.

    Burkhalter has a trial court arraignment scheduled before District Judge Dawn Moody on Monday. Conard is next expected to appear in court April 15.

    https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/deat...388c7795e.html
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    5 Witnesses Testify In Tulsa Triple Murder Case

    By: Reagan Ledbetter

    TULSA, Oklahoma - Wednesday was day three of the trial for a man charged with a triple murder that happened in Tulsa in 2018.

    Keenan Burkhaulter is accused of killing two men and a seven year old girl, then setting the house on fire to cover up the crime.

    Five witnesses testified on Wednesday, mostly Tulsa Police officers from the crime scene unit and fugitive squad.

    Prosecutors spent most of the day showing the jury crime scene photos, evidence and surveillance video showing the vehicle that was involved in the murders and the other suspect charged.

    Burkhalter and another man Andrew Conard, are charged with the murders of seven-year-old Maziah Brown, her father Marquis Brown and another man, Hosea Fletcher.

    Prosecutors say Conard was the driver and Burkhalter was the one who pulled the trigger and set the house on fire.

    The medical examiner testified all three victims were shot in the head, and two of the victims had carbon monoxide in their systems, meaning they were still alive when the fire started.

    An officer from the fugitive squad testified he found surveillance video from a convenience store showing Conard's vehicle pulling in and Conard buying lighter fluid, then driving it back toward to the crime scene.

    He testified cell phone data shows Burkhalter was near the crime scene the entire time. He also testified he saw Conard and Burkhalter together when they were tracking Conard in the days after the murders.

    Burkhalter's attorneys say evidence shows the gun belonged to Conard and argued he is the person responsible for these murders.

    They say even though there is videos of Conard and his SUV, Burkhalter is never seen in any of the videos.

    Conard will be testifying tomorrow morning for the DA and is still charged, but not expected to go to trial. Burkhalter’s trial is expected to wrap up at the end of the week.

    https://www.newson6.com/story/628573...tstptx367dk4rw
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    Jury finds Burkhalter guilty on all counts

    By: Caitlin Huggins

    TULSA, Okla. — A jury found a Tulsa man guilty on all counts in a murder trial.

    They convicted Keenan Burkhalter on three counts of first degree murder and one count of arson. Burkhalter shot three people: Hosea Fletcher, Ramon Marquis Brown and seven-year old Maziah Brown and then set fire to the house with them inside. The medical examiner later determined all three had smoke in their lungs, meaning the gunshots did not kill them before the fire started.

    The jury recommended three life sentences and a 35 year sentence for the arson.

    https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news...unts?_amp=true
    Thank you for the adventure - Axol

    Tried so hard and got so far, but in the end it doesn’t even matter - Linkin Park

    Hear me, my chiefs! I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever. - Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt

    I’m going to the ghost McDonalds - Garcello

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    26-year-old gets life without parole in 2018 north Tulsa triple-murder of men, child

    By Kelsy Schlotthauer
    Tulsa World

    Once under threat of the penalty of death, a Tulsa 26-year-old will spend the rest of his life in prison for the 2018 triple-murder of two men and a child in a home north of downtown Tulsa, a judge confirmed Wednesday.

    Tulsa County District Judge Dawn Moody followed a jury's recommendation in sentencing Keenan Sean Burkhalter to life in prison without parole for each of his three counts of first-degree murder, and another 35 years for first-degree arson; all sentences to run consecutively with credit for time served and earned.

    A jury found Burkhalter guilty in late May of murdering Hosea Fletcher, Marquis (Ramon) Brown, and Maziah Brown at a home in the 600 block of East Seminole Place early Oct. 14, 2018, before setting the house ablaze.

    Fletcher and Brown, each 27, were cousins, and Maziah was Brown's 7-year-old daughter.

    Andrew Conard, Burkhalter’s co-defendant, testified that Burkhalter told him while the two were watching a TV news report about firefighter's discovery of the bodies that he carried out the killings and arson.

    The Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office opted to drop its pursuit of capital punishment last year after Burkhalter's attorneys argued the early pandemic's proceeding delays and jail visitation caps deprived their client of his right to a speedy trial and inhibited their ability to adequately prepare to face such a punishment option.

    Proceeding with a death penalty case likely would have delayed the trial another couple of years, Assistant District Attorney Kevin Gray said, and he was not certain a jury would assess such a punishment given the option, as much of the evidence was circumstantial.

    "It was time to get justice," Gray said. "Ultimately it's the same outcome — Mr. Burkhalter is going to die in the penitentiary."

    Chief Public Defender Corbin Brewster commended prosecutors for reconsidering their position on the death penalty after Tulsa Police in 2020 identified the murder weapon as a gun belonging to Conard.

    "From the beginning, the case against (Burkhalter) was heavily built on Conard's cooperation and testimony, which conveniently omitted the truth about the murder weapon," Brewster said.

    Burkhalter maintains his innocence and has requested an appeal, Brewster said.

    Court proceedings are ongoing for Conard, who is charged with the same counts. He testified that he drove Burkhalter to and from the scene, bought him lighter fluid and saw him starting a fire at the house, though he initially concealed Burkhalter's involvement.

    Conard is next due back in court June 17.

    Gray said there's been much speculation as to why Burkhalter carried out the killings but no one, concrete motive able to be ascertained.

    Donning matching T-shirts with pictures of the victims, members of the victims' connected extended family filled one side of the court gallery.

    After reminding the court of the life and love each of the victims provided, several family members who read victim impact statements warned Burkhalter of the wrath of God, with some telling Burkhalter they hope he finds repentance.

    "The family that was here for all three of the victims is a family unlike any I have ever seen," Gray said. "There were family members present on every single court setting, and I don't just mean the big days, I mean the little days, as well.

    "There was always somebody here just to make sure that those three people weren't forgotten."

    https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/cr...934f129ac.html
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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