CLAREMORE, Okla. -- Two suspects in a gruesome homicide appeared before a judge Monday after police say one stabbed a man with a sword, then the other man helped him steal items from the victim's body.
A judge agreed to hold Michael Eugene Spears without bond, while Larry Gene McCoy Sr. had his bond set at $50,000.
Spears is accused of killing Mark Kale McKinney at a home in the Oaks Mobile Home Park in east Claremore. Police suspect that McKinney visited Spears at the home, then he was stabbed by a sword during an argument or a fight. Police discovered McKinney's body Sunday morning when they responded to a welfare check and found him dead.
Police said McCoy came to the house later and helped Spears steals items from McKinney's body.
A crime like this is one that police usually do not get to investigate here, according to Patrolman Brian Burnett.
"It's extremely rare," Burnett said. "Obviously, this is our second homicide of the year, so we don't have that many. The weapon that was used is kind of odd, and it was a fairly gruesome homicide."
The police cars that filled the mobile home park Sunday cleared out and left neighbors, like Patricia Cheshier, stunned by the details of the crime.
"I'm just sorry that it happened," Cheshier said. "It's still a very nice place to live. It's good. People are good, and the neighbors are good -- just happened to have bad things happen."
The two suspects are set to appear in court again on December 4 at 1:30 p.m.
