MUSKOGEE, OK – Randolph Boyd Strawn, 68, of Checotah, Oklahoma, will spend the next 15 years in federal prison for a brutal murder committed on Muscogee (Creek) Nation land. Strawn was sentenced to 180 months (15 years) for Murder in Indian Country – Second Degree, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced Wednesday.
The sentence stems from a December 6, 2022, attack where Strawn maliciously killed the victim by dousing them in gasoline and setting them ablaze. Court documents detail the horrific nature of the crime, painting a picture of calculated cruelty. The location – McIntosh County, within the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation – brought federal jurisdiction into play.
The investigation was a joint effort, spearheaded by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), along with the Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police and the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office. These agencies worked in concert to gather evidence and build a case against Strawn, ultimately leading to his guilty plea on May 1, 2023.
Chief Judge Ronald A. White of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma handed down the non-parolable sentence. This means Strawn will serve the full 180 months with no possibility of early release. He’s currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshal awaiting transfer to a designated Bureau of Prisons facility.
Assistant United States Attorney Edith A. Singer prosecuted the case, securing the conviction and lengthy sentence. While the details of the victim’s identity haven’t been widely released, the sheer brutality of the crime has sent ripples through the community and highlighted the ongoing challenges of violence in Indian Country.
This sentencing serves as a stark reminder that those who commit violent acts, particularly within tribal lands, will face the full force of federal law. The ATF, along with its partners, continues to prioritize investigations into crimes impacting Native American communities, ensuring justice is served even in remote and often overlooked areas of Oklahoma.
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