A federal jury has convicted David Allen Lee, a 44-year-old resident of Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, of second-degree murder in Indian Country. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced the verdict on June 5, 2025. The conviction carries a potential sentence of up to life imprisonment.
The trial commenced on June 3 and concluded with the jury delivering its guilty verdict two days later. Evidence presented during the proceedings indicated that Lee fatally stabbed a Tahlequah resident in the chest at the victim’s home on July 2, 2024. Following the incident, Lee delayed contacting emergency services for several hours and barricaded himself inside the residence before surrendering to authorities. The crime took place in Cherokee County within the Cherokee Nation Reservation’s boundaries.
The investigation leading to Lee’s conviction involved efforts from multiple agencies including the Tahlequah Police Department, Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Chief U.S. District Judge Ronald A. White presided over the trial in Muskogee, Oklahoma. He has ordered a presentence report to be completed before scheduling sentencing. Until then, Lee will remain in custody under the supervision of United States Marshals.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Gross and Patrick Flanigan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
