OK OK - Donna Haraway, 27, Ada, 28 April 1984

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thelocator77

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I am curious as to how to go about researching an old case in Oklahoma. I am a historical researcher, but have never really handled a cold case. What steps would I have to go through to obtain the police files on this case which is from the mid-1980's. This case is from Seminole, OK. and may be related to the Denise Haraway case that is the subject of "The Dreams of Ada" by Robert Mayer and frequently mentioned in "The Innocent Man" by John Grisham. The case I am researching is the Patty Hamilton case. I think that if this case can be solved, the it may help prove that Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot were wrongfully convicted in the Denise Haraway case. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
Interesting case, I need to read up on this more. I'm assuming that law enforcement considers the case closed, correct? I can't think of a way to get police files, but you might start with the county court clerk's office to see if you can at least make (or buy) copies of the trial transcripts. Also, if you know of any new evidence, you can petition the county for a grand jury to review. You'll need many signatures, depending upon the population of that county.

I'm an Okie, too and wish you good luck with your endeavors. For some reason, it's really difficult to get LE or OSBI to re-open a case.
 
The 2008 murders in rural Welch of Leota and William Huls is a crime that, likely, should have been solved in the first few days after it was committed. But, like many crimes in this area (see Freeman/Bible killings and kidnappings - also in rural Welch), it has not been solved, and may never be.

$10,000 reward offered in 2008 double murder (koamtv.com)
 
Move joe neff to cold cases please, that deserves more light, and isnt getting any in the main thread it has IMO.
 
Patty Hamilton was abducted from her job in the middle of the night. A case very similar to the Ward/Fontenot case of a year later. Her remains were found ten years later. No arrests ever made and it seems no one cares about it anymore.
 
I am convinced that two innocent men - Tommy Ward & Karl Fontenot - have spent 20+ years in OK prisons for a crime they could not have committed. John Grisham in his only nonfiction, THE INNOCENT MAN, about 2 other Ada, OK men who were wrongly accused & put away - (1 just days from execution when DNA proved his innocence) references Fontenot & Ward as innocent men who were easy targets of the same DA who used the same jailhouse snitch in both cases along w/coerced confessions. I would like to be in touch with others who are interested in this case.
 
Ellicnov, I am very interested in this case as well and have actually corresponded with Karl on several occasions. I would be interested in hearing from you as well.
 
I would like to be in touch with anyone who knows about these two cases. I am extremely interested - have been in touch w/Ward & Fontenot - There are some things going on at this time - including a reward in the Ada News for $5,000 for information leading to the killer of Denise Haraway. Please e-mail me at: falselyaccused1984@gmail.com. Ellicnov in SC
 
ellicnov said:
I would like to be in touch with anyone who knows about these two cases. I am extremely interested - have been in touch w/Ward & Fontenot - There are some things going on at this time - including a reward in the Ada News for $5,000 for information leading to the killer of Denise Haraway. Please e-mail me at: falselyaccused1984@gmail.com. Ellicnov in SC
Click to expand...

Ellicnov did you receive my email in ref to patty
Hamilton?
 
This man was wrongfully accused of a crime and has served nearly 30 years in prison. He now has a shot at getting exonerated. Now we need to find out who really killed Donna Denise Haraway.

www.freekarlfontenot.com

facebook.com/freekarlfontenot
 
This man was wrongfully accused of a crime and has served nearly 30 years in prison. He now has a shot at getting exonerated. Now we need to find out who really killed Donna Denise Haraway.

www.freekarlfontenot.com

facebook.com/freekarlfontenot
 
The first thing we need to do is change the title of the thread to add Donna's name.

A few details I was able to locate on the web.

Ada Angry About Image Given by Book on Clerk's Murder
Ellen Knickmeyer
Modified: May 4, 1987 at 12:00 am - Published: May 4, 1987

ADA The remains of Donna Denice Haraway, as much as could be gathered from underbrush and packrat holes, are resting in an area cemetery...

ADA — Chris Ross is the only person left in his office who was there when Donna Denice Haraway went missing.
Haraway's murder was one of the first murder trials he worked on as a 27-year-old prosecutor...

Karl Fontenot and Thomas Ward, the two men convicted in the murder of the 24-year-old store clerk, are lifting weights and giving interviews on Death Row at the state penitentiary in McAlester...

Haraway's body had not been found at the time Fontenot and Ward were found guilty of robbery, kidnapping and murder. A videotape played during their trial showed the two telling of raping Haraway as she was stabbed to death, raping her corpse and then disposing of the body. They later recanted their confessions.

Haraway's partial, skeletal remains were found on the men's original execution date. The find was made more than 30 miles from where one of the men said it would be. The skeleton had a bullet wound rather than blade marks.
Click to expand...
 
I have a few questions.

Both Ward and Fontenot confessed to the abduction and being present during the murder. I understand that some confessions are obtained through coercion but to have both defendants confess independently is difficult to get past. If innocent why did Mr. Fontenot confess and what led him to recant? Did he recant only after the remains were found and with the knowledge that it appeared the victim had previously given birth?

If indeed the victim had previously given birth how do we know this wasn't an earlier hidden pregnancy?

Did either defendant have a criminal record?





I'm all for exonerating the innocent if guilt points to somewhere other than the convicted. But in this case the jury has spoken through as far as I know a fair and impartial process and it would take more than a book from a anti-DP former politician to overturn no matter how good of a writer he is.
 
Pre-Trial Hearing Begins for Ada Men
The Durant Daily Democrat - Jan 8, 1985

A Pontotoc County district court jury has recommended the death penalty...
The Durant Daily Democrat - Sept 26, 1985

Report sparks debate over innocence of Karl Fontenot
By Jaclyn Cosgrove Published: August 4, 2013

Karl Fontenot was convicted in the 1980s for the killing of Donna Denice Harraway, a 24-year-old Ada woman. But a recent effort is underway to prove his innocence. Meanwhile, Pontotoc County District Attorney Chris Ross says the facts still prove Fontenot is guilty.

The Oklahoma Innocence Project, an initiative based out of Oklahoma City University's law school, filed a brief in support of application for post-conviction relief on July 24 that outlines why the organization's legal staff believes Fontenot should be released from prison.
“There were many inconsistencies throughout the investigation into Ms. Haraway's disappearance, many of which help our case for post-conviction relief for Karl,” Tiffany Murphy, the Oklahoma Innocence Project director, said during the July 24 news conference. “We firmly believe an innocent man has been in prison for nearly 30 years for a crime he did not commit.”
Click to expand...
 
You should really read The Dreams of Ada. This men confessed to what they were directed to, but maintained their innocence throughout the trial. Their stories did not match and NO witness identified Karl and said that Tommy "looked" like one of them.
 
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