Jordan Kuykendall, Voluntary Manslaughter, Oklahoma 2020

Owasso, OK – Jordan Taylor Kuykendall, a 25-year-old man from Owasso, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for his role in the voluntary manslaughter of his stepfather, Charles Botts.

According to U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson, Kuykendall violently assaulted his mother, and Charles Botts was forced to intervene. During the struggle, Kuykendall stabbed Botts to death.

The crime took place on May 17, 2020, at approximately 1 am. Kuykendall, who was intoxicated at the time, had assaulted his mother, and Botts intervened to protect her.

However, when Botts released Kuykendall, the defendant followed him into his bedroom with a knife. A struggle ensued, and Kuykendall stabbed Botts multiple times, ultimately penetrating his heart.

Medics transported Botts to St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, where he was later pronounced dead. The medical examiner’s report confirmed that Botts died as a result of a stab wound to the left lateral chest.

At sentencing, Botts’ sister described her brother as a selfless and kind person who had grown and changed for the better in the last five years. She expressed disappointment and anger towards Kuykendall, stating that he had acted recklessly and taken the life of her brother.

Kuykendall pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in Indian Country on October 8, 2021. In addition to his prison sentence, he was ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution and serve three years of supervised release.

The FBI and Owasso Police Department conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan H. Heatherman prosecuted the case. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell presided over the sentencing hearing.

As part of his plea agreement, Kuykendall admitted to getting into an argument with Botts on May 17, 2020, and stabbing him, resulting in the victim’s death.

The U.S. government requested an upward departure from the federal sentencing guidelines, citing the brutal nature of the crime and Kuykendall’s history of violence. However, the defense argued for a sentence of 63 months, taking into account Kuykendall’s exposure to violence in the home as a young child.

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