Stephen Tanner Vineyard, Second Degree Murder, Oklahoma 2022

Ardmore, Oklahoma – In a shocking turn of events, Stephen Tanner Vineyard, a 31-year-old Ada resident, has been sentenced to 200 months in prison for second degree murder. This case has been ongoing for years, with investigators piecing together the events leading up to the tragic incident.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the charges against Vineyard arose from investigations conducted by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Ardmore Police Department, the Carter County District Attorney’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On May 10, 2022, Vineyard pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a Murder in Indian Country – Second Degree. This guilty plea marked a significant turning point in the case, allowing investigators to finally bring justice to the victim’s family.

The tragic event that led to Vineyard’s sentencing occurred on June 30, 2014, when a 59-year-old Ardmore resident was left to die on her front porch after sustaining multiple shotgun wounds in the early morning hours. Years later, witnesses came forward and recounted statements Vineyard made at the time of the murder admitting his involvement.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted this case because Vineyard is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Carter County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation and the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable David C. Joseph, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, sitting by designation, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. It is now clear that Vineyard will be serving a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Vineyard will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility. This sentencing brings closure to the victim’s family and serves as a reminder of the severity of second degree murder.

Mandatory Facts:

Defendant: Stephen Tanner Vineyard
Criminal Charges: Aiding and Abetting a Murder in Indian Country – Second Degree
City and State: Ardmore, Oklahoma
Exact Date: May 10, 2022 (sentencing), June 30, 2014 (crime date)
Sentence: 200 months in prison
Dollar Amounts: N/A

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