By: Brittany Toolis
GUTHRIE, Oklahoma -
A Guthrie man is in custody after two teens accused him of molestation, and investigators think there could be more victims.
The abuse reportedly happened Friday at the Guthrie Edmond Regional Airport in an airplane hangar. One of the victims knew the suspect through his father, so police said he felt safe being alone with the him.
Michael Malatesta was arrested on Monday on six felony complaints of sexual abuse to a minor under 16. It appears that this was somewhat of a friend of the family, said Guthrie police Sgt. Anthony Gibbs.
Malatesta bought a plane from and worked for one of the victim s fathers.
By: Brittany Toolis
Proceedings against a suspected serial killer began inside the Oklahoma County courthouse Monday.
William Reece is on trial accused of kidnapping and murder. Monday s proceedings focused solely on jury selection.
According to prosecutors, the defendant killed 19-year-old Tiffany Johnston almost 25 years ago.
Reports show in 1997 the 19-year-old went missing from a carwash in Bethany, only to be found raped and strangled near Yukon.
Johnston s death is just one in a slew of killings spanning Oklahoma to Texas Reece has either been implicated in or admitted to over the last quarter century.
Detectives believe Reece s killing spree began after he was released 8 years in to an almost 30-year rape sentence in Oklahoma.
By: Brittany Toolis
OKLAHOMA CITY -
May 5 is National Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women s Day. A new law passed this year aimed at bringing justice to indigenous victims and it made this year s event at the state Capitol especially emotional.
On Wednesday, dozens of families gathered to pray, sing and honor the missing and murdered people in their families.
Tribal leaders said with the ink barely dry on Ida s Law, there s a new sense of hope to bring justice to the victims and their families. She was a mother, she was a sister, she belonged to this land, her ancestors belonged to this land, said Alecia Onzahwah about her daughter Skye.
By: Brittany Toolis
CLEVELAND COUNTY, Oklahoma -
After two weeks of testimony, and 5 hours of deliberation a jury sentenced Joseph Alliniece to death for the 2018 murder of Brittani Young.
The state and defense teams gave their closing arguments to jurors Friday morning. The jury began deliberations around 1 p.m.
The state highlighted the brutality of Young s killing. In 2018, Alliniece reportedly stomped on Young’s head, which killed her.
The attorney listed off each injury Young sustained while holding up both autopsy pictures and the shoe Alliniece wore the day he killed Young. The prosecutor matched the pattern on the sole to bruising shown in the pictures.
By: Brittany Toolis
State prosecutors preset Joseph Alliniece’s long history of violence to jurors in hopes of getting the maximum sentence.
Cleveland County District Attorney Greg Mashburn told the jury about numerous convictions, stints in jail, and what prosecutors said is a history of hurting those close to him.
“He is a continuing threat and the violence that he’s committed in the past,” said Mashburn.
The state laid out the three reasons, or aggravating factors, they said warrant the death penalty during opening arguments Tuesday.
Alliniece’s mother and sister shared what his childhood was like.
They said he was well liked, athletic, he even received a scholarship for football. But his sister also talked about some issues.