A horrific crime unfolded in rural Craig County, Oklahoma, in 2019, resulting in the brutal murder of Christopher Boren. The crime was a small part of a larger cover-up orchestrated by Dale Eugene Warren, 66, a resident of Vinita, Oklahoma.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Warren to 120 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Warren pleaded guilty on December 1, 2021, to being an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder in Indian Country.
Warren admitted to being with codefendant Johnny Lee Arnold when Arnold struck Boren with a small baseball bat and repeatedly stabbed him with a knife, leading to Boren’s death. Warren further admitted to disposing of the murder weapon in a river and providing a hose and water for Arnold to wash away blood and other evidence from Arnold’s clothes and vehicle.
Warren claimed that Arnold told him that he was a member of the Aryan Brotherhood and that he had people in 48 states who could get to Warren if he spoke about the crime. Warren stated that he did not contact authorities about the murder.
The victim’s body was found in rural Craig County. On May 10, 2022, Arnold, 34, of Langley, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. The plea agreement stipulated that Arnold should serve between 25 and 35 years for the crime. A federal judge will decide whether to accept the plea agreement and will determine an appropriate sentence at a hearing to be held at a later time.
The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Mayes County Sheriff’s Office, and Craig County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John E. Brasher and Ben Tonkin are prosecuting the case.
“Dale Warren destroyed and discarded evidence following the horrific murder of Christopher Boren in 2019,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Individuals who help others hide their crimes or fail to report them should be prepared to face charges.”
“Thanks to a determined investigation by the FBI and our law enforcement partners, this deplorable cover-up of a cold-blooded murder will not go unpunished,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “This sentence should serve as a warning that any attempt to tamper with the justice system will not be tolerated.”
Mandatory Facts:
Defendant/Respondent: Dale Eugene Warren
Criminal Charges: Accessory after the fact to first-degree murder in Indian Country
City and State: Vinita, Oklahoma
Exact Date: December 1, 2021 (plea), Thursday (sentencing)
Sentence or Outcome: 120 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release
Key Facts
- State: Oklahoma
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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