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Thread: Michael Anthony Sentenced in 2013 OK Slaying of Alyssa Dawn Wiles

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    Michael Anthony Sentenced in 2013 OK Slaying of Alyssa Dawn Wiles



    A motion for certification as a juvenile was denied Monday by Judge Jerry Herberger, in the first degree murder case against Michael Ray, 16, who has been accused in the stabbing death of Alyssa Dawn Wiles, 14.

    Ray will be tried as an adult.

    Alyssa was discovered in her bed on the afternoon of June 10, by her father, Brad Wiles, upon his return home from work that day. Wiles was the first of three witnesses to take the stand.

    Ray is represented by defense attorney Jim Berry who filed a last minute motion for juvenile certification within the hour prior to the preliminary hearing Monday in Stephens County District Court.

    “For all intents and purposes, he is a juvenile and he does have a juvenile history. It does not look like he’s ever been certified and considering the gravity of the charges of murder in the first degree, I request to suspend this hearing,” Berry said. It was noted during the proceedings that a competency hearing had been held Sept. 12, which ruled Ray was competent to stand trial.

    By the end of the preliminary hearing, Herberger had heard enough testimony that he ruled that Ray would be bound over for arraignment in October.

    “I feel he committed the crime,” Herberger said, after Berry made a motion to dismiss the charge. Herberger disagreed and overruled the motion, just as he did at the onset of the hearing in regards to the juvenile or youthful offender status request.

    At the beginning of the hearing, more than 2 dozen family and friends filled the small courtroom, all wearing lime green and black. Lime green was Alyssa’s favorite color. Many also wore buttons showing the smiling face of the little girl who was killed at the beginning of the summer. The only Wiles family member not sitting in the courtroom was Alyssa’s father, who was sequestered for the hearing. Throughout the proceedings, the family remained quiet but the tears flowed and they took turns holding hands and silently comforting each other.

    Ray, 16, was led into the courtroom in shackles, wearing an orange inmate jumpsuit. He looked at most of the family, including Alyssa’s mother, Angela, who sat in the front row.

    Ray was seated at the defense table with his attorney. Berry immediately informed the court that he had filed at 9 a.m. on behalf of his client for a certification of juvenile or Youthful Offender status.

    Stephens County District Attorney Jason Hicks, also wearing a green tie, introduced Wiles once he was brought in to take the witness stand.

    Wiles was found in her bed on the afternoon of June 10, by her father, Brad. He described how he found his daughter, and also the weekend’s events leading up to her death.

    Wiles told the court that he had gone home around 8:10 a.m. that Monday morning to retrieve his wife’s car keys. He said he saw Ray walking along on the street and waved, but the boy did not return the gesture. He didn’t think it odd and knew his daughter had broke up with Ray the night before. He also talked about how they had taken Ray and Alyssa out for a supervised date on June 8, to a movie and dinner at Applebee’s.

    It wasn’t until after he arrived home, near 4:30 p.m. that he discovered his daughter in her bed and called 911.

    Also on the witness stand in the morning was Lt. Detective Joe Shoemake with the Duncan Police Department, who interviewed Ray three times in the first two days of the investigation. His investigative notebook became a focal point for Berry who examined it and insisted on entering it as an exhibit. Herberger denied the request.

    Berry also questioned Shoemake on the interviews, but the detective cited that in a murder case, the state allows questioning of a 15, 16 or 17-year old without the presence of their custodial parents.

    Earlier in the hearing when Berry was trying to convince the judge of juvenile certification, Hicks told the court, “I think the legislation is crystal clear that the subject be held accountable as an adult.”

    Shoemake did tell the court that Ray appeared much more cold and callous in the second interview on the day after Alyssa’s death. And in the third interview later that night, he allegedly revealed details about the murder.

    Hicks asked Shoemake what Ray told him.

    Shoemake said Ray first accused his friend of stabbing Alyssa, but then changed his story and admitted to killing her because she broke up with him. He said Ray shared the details, but then broke down and said he held her as she took her last breath.

    Shoemake also said Ray had asked for two favors — one was to attend Alyssa’s funeral and the other, Shoemake said that Ray said he couldn’t say — but wrote it down on a piece of paper. Hicks asked Shoemake to reveal what Ray allegedly wrote.

    “Lethal injection.”

    It was noted by Berry that the words were misspelled, to which Shoemake agreed.

    The third witness was Ray’s friend, a 14-year-old who boy, who is being held in Comanche County Juvenile Detention Center. He is charged as a juvenile with accessory to murder. He was in wrist and ankle cuffs while on the stand. He did not have any family in the courtroom. It also appeared Ray did not have family there to show support.

    While it was mostly only family and friends for the Wiles side in the morning, the afternoon proceedings appeared to attract more attention. A local bail bondsman and other private practice attorneys attended the hearing, and several individuals were standing along the back wall to listen.

    During questioning of the juvenile, Hicks asked him repeatedly if he knew why they were headed to Alyssa’s home on June 10. The young boy denied having any knowledge or conversation with Ray on their way to Alyssa’s home that morning, or later. The 14-year-old said he thought he had heard Ray mumble under his breath when they arrived, that he was going to kill Alyssa. He testified he didn’t think anything of the comment. Many times he changed his answers on the stand, citing he was confused about a question. The juvenile testified he had attended Marlow Middle School, but had been homeschooled last year and had only recently moved to Duncan.

    He said he only became suspicious as the day went on when Alyssa didn’t reply to text messages. He said when they went to her home, he didn’t see that Ray had a knife until Ray scaled the back fence to go into the home. He said he didn’t hear any noise from the house. Shoemake had testified earlier that Ray said he had startled Alyssa but that she only screamed once.

    Other testimony from the juvenile detailed the two boys burying the knife, and that Ray had used the lawnmower to run over his clothes and burn them. The juvenile said he did not see any blood on Ray when he came out of the Wiles home through the front door.

    Ray’s arraignment hearing has been set for 9 a.m. Oct. 17, in the courtroom of Judge Joe Enos.

    - See more at: http://duncanbanner.com/local/x21128....huepBHiB.dpuf
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    Alyssa Dawn Wiles
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    Ray pleads guilty

    Michael Anthony Ray pleaded guilty Monday to first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 14-year-old Alyssa Wiles.

    Ray, 16, of Marlow, withdrew his plea of not guilty and submitted a plea of guilty about 11 a.m. Monday. In his guilty plea, Ray admitted to stabbing Wiles between six to eight times on the morning of June 10.

    Sentencing is set for 9 a.m. March 5.



    - See more at: http://www.duncanbanner.com/local/x1....oHfJsXJx.dpuf
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

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    Ray's Attorney: 'strong, compelling evidence of guilt'

    The lawyer who has been defending Michael Anthony Ray since July, says the state's case against his client was simply too strong and the evidence too compelling to take the case to trial.

    Last week, Ray entered a guilty plea in the Stephens County Courthouse. He's charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 14-year-old Alyssa Wiles back in June.

    Ray now awaits sentencing on March 5. If convicted, he'll face life in prison either with or without parole. Wiles' parents, Angela and Brad, are fighting to keep Ray behind bars forever. Ray's attorney, James Berry, who practices law out of Oklahoma City, argues differently.

    "He went through the day about getting the knife and going over there and planning to kill her," recalled Brad Wiles of the latest court hearing last week. "…Stabbing her multiple times and stuff like that; kissing her when he left and walked out the front door … I don't see how anyone could do that."

    No day has been normal for the family since that horrific night: "He killed my daughter," said Mr. Wiles. "She has no life now."

    Berry acknowledged in a phone interview the state had a solid case against Ray adding they had "strong, compelling evidence of guilt" against his client that wouldn't go over well with a jury.

    "We're glad we don't have to sit through a trial and hear exactly what happened to her and how it would have affected her body," said Angela Wiles.

    The Wiles family says they have no doubts about who killed their daughter. There are layers of evidence to corroborate the story, too.

    Two days after the crime, Ray, 16, came forward to police and confessed. He even led authorities to where he burned the clothes he was wearing at the time and to the knife he allegedly stabbed the 14-year-old girl with a number of times.

    "We have to suffer everyday without her knowing that we will never get to see her again until we get to go to heaven," said Mrs. Wiles.

    Ray's attorney says his client is "remorseful" but should get a harsh punishment if convicted; he says life in prison would be fair. Down the road, Berry says Ray could "be fit to re-enter society."

    The Wiles' don't agree, expressing their pain and heartbreak over the past seven months. Ray should never be a free man again, according to Mr. and Mrs. Wiles.

    "I don't think I ever will feel normal again," said Mr. Wiles. "I know there will be (tougher) days ahead but it's always tough."

    There is a juvenile involved in this case, as well. That 14-year-old is suspected to have served as a lookout for Ray the night of the killing. He will be prosecuted as a juvenile and will not serve any permanent time for his alleged involvement. That juvenile will be in court on Monday, Jan. 13.

    http://www.kswo.com/story/24379562/rays-attorney
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    Ray sentenced to life without parole

    Stephens County District Judge Joe Enos on Wednesday sentenced 16-year-old Michael Anthony Ray to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of a 14-year-old girl.

    Ray, of Marlow, pleaded guilty Dec. 30, 2013, to the murder of Alyssa Dawn Wiles on June 10, 2013, in her home in Duncan.

    Life in prison or life imprisonment without parole were the only sentencing options available.

    After listening to witnesses testify and statements from family members, Enos chose life without parole.

    “Because the defendant is under the age of 18, the options we have are life or life without parole,” Enos said. “I’m still confronted with the defendant’s history of violence.”

    With Counsel Jim Berry, Ray appeared in court dressed in an orange jumpsuit. Nearly 40 people dressed in Wiles’ favorite color — lime green — sat on the prosecution’s side of the courtroom.

    Witnesses testified about Ray’s cold and cocky demeanor and lack of remorse.

    In his closing statements, District Attorney Jason Hicks said life without parole is the closest the family and the community will come to justice. He said Ray took away the family’s opportunity to watch Wiles grow into a woman, to see her graduate high school and get married.

    Her father, Brad Wiles will never get the chance to dance with her again, Hicks said.

    “I think it’s abundantly clear what justice cries out for,” Hicks said. “It’s as if life doesn’t matter to him (Ray). This is all a joke to him. There’s been no emotion, no apology to the family. His only regret is when he got caught.”

    Family members were given an opportunity to express how Alyssa Wiles’ murder has affected them. A reoccurring theme was a lack of sleep, a decline in feeling safe and sorrow that can’t be purged.

    “It wasn’t a nightmare or a joke,” Angela Wiles, Alyssa Wiles’ mother, said. “My baby girl was gone.”

    Angela Wiles said she is easily startled by loud noises and worries constantly about her 19-year-old son, Zachary Abbott.

    Brad Wiles talked about discovering his daughter’s body in her bed. Wiles said he knew she was dead but couldn’t process what was happening. He said he feels like he failed as a father because he didn’t protect his daughter.

    Several family members reflected on Alyssa Wiles’ love for dance. She was described as having a brilliant smile and a great laugh. Her absence was deemed to have left a hole in their family.

    Abbott wrote his feelings, which were read by proxy by his grandfather Randall Gilreath. Abbott talked about his grief from losing his sister, losing an opportunity to watch her grow up.

    “I saw Alyssa the last time June 9,” Abbott wrote. “There’s not a punishment harsh enough. I hope and believe she is dancing forever in heaven.”

    Police said they believed Ray killed Wiles because she broke up with him. Ray’s mother, Dawn Ray talked about her son’s difficult upbringing, including his father’s (Gary Ray’s) absence (a result of being employed in the military).

    Dawn Ray said Michael Ray lived with his parents until he was 13. At that point, he became a ward of the state for nearly two years because his mother didn’t feel she could properly take care of him. She requested the court consider a sentence of life instead of the maximum punishment life without parole.

    - See more at: http://www.duncanbanner.com/local/x3....xqrh4Xj6.dpuf
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

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    Related

    Governor Mary Fallin Vetoes Alyssa D. Wiles law



    The Alyssa D. Wiles Law, written by local legislators, which changed the way juveniles are tried for certain crimes was vetoed by Governor Mary Fallin.

    Local Rep. Dennis Johnson was the author of the Alyssa D. Wiles Law, which amends the current laws allowing offenders of certain ages to be tried as youthful offenders instead of juveniles. This bill came about as a response to the murder of Duncan resident Alyssa Dawn Wiles, 14, in June of 2013. A 14-year-old boy who acted as a lookout was charged as a juvenile accessory this law would allow the accessory to be charged as a youthful offender instead.

    “That idea was brought to us by the Wiles family,” Johnson said. “Some families, when a tragedy occurs, close up and lock up, but in the case of the Wiles family, they have taken this tragedy and made it something worthwhile and a great way to remember their daughter. They are rising to the occasion and I can’t say enough good things about the family and their response to this tragedy.”

    Johnson was the house author for this bill and Local Sen. Corey Brooks was the Senate author.

    Fallin said this law was vetoed because it would create an inequality in the justice system by treating juvenile accessories more harshly than adults and would increase the number of youth in prison.

    http://www.duncanbanner.com/news/gov...04301b9ec.html
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

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