Matthew Onesimo Armstrong, 32, of Seminole, Oklahoma, has pleaded guilty to orchestrating two brutal killings in Indian Country—one in 2015, the other in 2017—both linked to his ties with the Indian Brotherhood (IBH), a prison-based gang operating across Oklahoma. An enrolled member of the Seminole Nation and loyal enforcer for IBH, Armstrong admitted to federal charges stemming from the murders of Scotty Candler and Nicole Owl, crimes marked by cold calculation and gang-driven violence.
In May 2015, Armstrong received orders from IBH leadership to interrogate Candler over an unrelated homicide. On May 30, he arrived at Candler’s home armed and accompanied by fellow gang associate John Douglas Knight, also carrying a firearm. When Candler’s dogs charged, Armstrong fired two shots into the air. Knight entered the residence and fired a single round, killing Candler instantly. Armstrong was not the triggerman, but under federal law, his role in planning and escalating the confrontation led to his guilty plea for assault with a dangerous weapon and use of a firearm during a crime of violence in Indian Country.
The second murder was even more savage. In April 2017, Armstrong was deep in the business of smuggling methamphetamine and contraband into Oklahoma prisons for IBH. At his Seminole residence, a dispute erupted with Nicole Owl, who was staying there. Armstrong and accomplice Nicholas Earl Faulkner dragged Owl into a wooded area behind the home, tied her to a tree, and left her for hours. When Armstrong returned with a rifle, he asked Faulkner if he wanted to shoot her. Faulkner refused. Armstrong fired two rounds himself, killing Owl at close range.
For Owl’s murder, Armstrong pleaded guilty to murder in Indian Country, kidnapping, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crimes, committed on tribal land, fall under federal jurisdiction, amplifying the severity of charges. He now faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge, weighing the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutory factors.
John Douglas Knight, accused of firing the fatal shot in Candler’s death, was indicted on May 12 for murder in Indian Country and using a firearm during a crime of violence. His jury trial is set for January 4, 2022. An indictment is not a conviction—Knight is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Meanwhile, Nicholas Earl Faulkner pleaded guilty on May 22, 2019, to kidnapping and being a felon in possession of a firearm in connection with Owl’s death. His sentencing remains pending.
The FBI and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation led the probe, unraveling a web of gang loyalty, drug trafficking, and extrajudicial violence. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Rami Badawy and Assistant U.S. Attorney George Gialketsis for Owl’s murder, and HRSP Trial Attorney Brian Morgan for Candler’s case, with support from the Eastern District of Oklahoma. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. and Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson announced the outcome, underscoring federal resolve in tackling violent crime on tribal lands.
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Key Facts
- State: Oklahoma
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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