Devon Leroy Battiest Sentenced to 14 Years for Murder in Indian Country

MURDER IN INDIAN COUNTRY: Broken Bow Man Sentenced to 14 Years Behind Bars

A Broken Bow resident has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for his role in a brutal murder in Indian Country. Devon Leroy Battiest, 43, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 168 months in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country – Second Degree.

The crime occurred on May 6, 2023, when Battiest entered a Broken Bow residence armed with a firearm and shot and killed a guest at the residence. The investigation was a joint effort between the Broken Bow Police Department, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Battiest pleaded guilty to the charge on January 17, 2024. The crimes took place in McCurtain County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Battiest will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his non-paroleable sentence.

Assistant United States Attorney Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States in the case. The sentence is a significant blow to Battiest, who will now spend the next 14 years behind bars for his role in the murder.

The case serves as a reminder of the importance of community cooperation and the swift justice that can be achieved when law enforcement agencies work together. The investigation and prosecution of this case were a testament to the dedication and commitment of the agencies involved.