Kellie Lee Crawford, 57, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for the voluntary manslaughter of her 70-year-old neighbor, Richard Strade, in Grove, Oklahoma. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell imposed the sentence, which will be followed by three years of supervised release.
In September 2021, Crawford, under the influence of methamphetamine, struck Strade multiple times with a cookie jar lid and a plastic hanger before strangling him to death. She claimed to have believed he was attempting to assault her sexually. Crawford is a citizen of the Potawatomi Nation, and the crime occurred within Indian Country, making it subject to federal jurisdiction.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations, and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd prosecuted the case.
Crawford had previously been found incompetent to stand trial due to schizophrenia spectrum and other disorders. However, she was later deemed competent following treatment and care. The sentence reflects the serious nature of the crime and the need for justice in Indian Country.
