Phillip Keith Ray, Murder in the Second Degree, Oklahoma 2022
A federal judge has sentenced Phillip Keith Ray, 45, of Chickasha, Oklahoma, to 25 years in federal prison for murder in the second degree in Indian Country.
The crime took place on October 19, 2021, when law enforcement responded to a distress call at a home in Chickasha. Once on the scene, Chickasha Police officers located a deceased male victim in the backyard, with significant injuries to his head. A concrete block was found near the body. Ray, the son of the victim, was home at the time of the murder. Another family member told Chickasha Police they believed Ray was responsible for the crime.
On March 1, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a one-count Indictment against Ray, charging him with murder in the second degree. On September 14, 2022, Ray pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree. As part of his plea, Ray admitted to striking the victim on the head with a cinder block.
The case is charged in federal court because Ray is a citizen of the Comanche Nation and the crime took place within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation.
At the sentencing hearing on Thursday, U.S. District Judge Stephen P. Friot sentenced Ray to serve 25 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the court noted the need to incapacitate the defendant and protect the public from any potential future violence.
This case is a result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office with assistance provided by the Chickasha Police Department, Chickasaw Lighthorse Police Department, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danielle London and Daniel Gridley prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for more information.
Key Facts
- State: Oklahoma
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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