TULSA, Okla. — Family members of two Tulsa apartment complex employees killed last year, by a man they didn’t even know, won’t have to endure a trial after the suspected killer pleaded guilty Monday morning.
Davion Wilkes was scheduled to go on trial in about four months but this morning he pleaded guilty to the deaths of Bayron Rodriguez and Jane Hall who both worked at the complex.
Family members say this brings them some closure but still no explanation about why he killed them.
“I don’t know what’s going on behind those eyes. I do know this, he had every opportunity to say he’s sorry,” Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said.
Wilkes made no apologies in court Monday morning.
Wilkes pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and two other charges.
“I am very happy that he actually chose to plead guilty so that we can move on as a family,” Peter Rodriguez, victim's brother, said.
But moving on is difficult after losing their brother who was also a son and father.
“It’s just every day there’s moments that the pain comes in waves," Leenochka Matos, victim's sister, said. "You know you feel okay one day but then all of a sudden you have a memory of your brother and it’s sad you won’t be able to have more memories with him.”
Kunzweiler says Bayron Rodriguez was a maintenance manager at Westminster apartments near 51st and Memorial while Jane Hall managed the complex.
He says they were checking on reports of smoke at the complex when Wilkes, who has a list of prior felonies in two other states, walked up to the two got into an argument and they asked him to leave.
Kunzweiler says Wilkes started to walk away but then turned around and shot and killed Rodriquez and Hall.
Rodriguez’s family says it has them thinking twice about their own safety.
“I used to not live in fear of looking over my shoulder if someone's going to harm,” Rodriquez said.
Both families gave victim impact statements after Wilkes pleaded guilty.
They talked about how devastating the loss has been.
Bayron’s son talked about how he’ll never have the experiences every child should have with their father.
Kunzweiler says the statements were some of the most impactful he’s heard in court in a while.
“It’s gratifying to hear how each of those folks, living in the terrible tragedy that they were living, were able to bring life back to their family members at least in this courtroom to make sure Mr. Wilkes understood the beautiful lives that he took from this planet,” Kunzweiler said.
The judge sentenced Wilkes to life in prison without parole.
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