Chickasha, Okla. (AP) – An Oklahoma man has been found guilty of killing three people, including a woman whose heart was cut out of her body, weeks after being released from prison. as part of mass commutation Effort.
Lawrence Paul Anderson, 44, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Grady County District Court to three counts of murder and maiming and single counts of assault and battery.
Anderson was sentenced to life in prison without parole, with prosecutor Jason Hicks abandoning plans for the death penalty at the request of the victims’ families.
“They don’t want a trial,” Hicks told a news conference after sentencing. “They don’t want to sit in a courtroom and hear all the details about what happened to their loved ones.”
Investigators said Anderson broke into the home of 41-year-old Andrea Lynn Blankenship, fatally stabbed her and cut out her heart, taking it to the home of his uncle and aunt, Leon Pye and Delsey Pye.
Authorities said Anderson then cooked and tried to serve Pius a heart, then fatally stabbed 67-year-old Leon Pye and his 4-year-old granddaughter Keos Yates, and fatally wounded their aunt, Delsey Pye.
During sentencing, 66-year-old Delsey Pye said she was heartbroken that a family member would commit such a crime.
Tasha Yates, the mother of Chaos Yates, cursed at Anderson before leaving the courtroom.
“Who kills a child… who does?” Yates shouted.
Anderson was released from prison Less than a month before the February 2021 attacks, his 20-year prison sentence for drug-related offenses was reduced by Gov. Kevin Stitt following a recommendation from the state’s Pardon and Parole Board.
A grand jury investigation It was later found that Anderson had been wrongly placed on the commutation docket in August 2019 after the board denied his commutation request in July 2019, giving him three years before applying again under board rules. Had to wait a year.
The board later recommended commutation, which was approved by Stitt after a second request.
Delsey Pie and the families of the victims have sued Stitt, the Pardon and Parole Board and others for federal civil rights violations related to Anderson’s release.
While the suit is pending, all defendants have filed motions to dismiss the action.