Boyfriend Of Deceased Chickasha Woman Charged With Murder

A boyfriend's alleged confession to killing his girlfriend in their Chickasha home was detailed in court papers filed in Grady County, Thursday.

Prosecutors charged 31-year-old Lofton Gray with the murder of Amanda Cecil, Thursday, less than 24 hours after he was extradited back to Oklahoma.

Gray allegedly shot and killed Cecil on September 5, inside the couple's home in the 1200 block of Choctaw in Chickasha.

Gray fled the state in a stolen vehicle the day of the murder, but was later caught by authorities in Gallup, N.M.

"We looked at and believed that he was a suspect all along," Grady County District Attorney Jason Hicks said evidence pointed to Gray when investigators found her shot and wrapped in bed sheets.

According to the arrest warrant, Gray confessed to shooting Cecil with a 9mm pistol while she was sleeping.

After the shooting, Gray said he drove around looking for his friend's house and tossed the weapon in some bushes along an alley near Iowa and 12th Street in Chickasha.

He later returned home and found her dead.

Gray told investigators that Cecil did not want him to move back to California, and he decided that killing her was the only way he could ever leave.

"Everybody looks at it like this is not something that is supposed to happen and should not ever happen, and it will be one of the focuses for us as we move forward in the case," Hicks said.

The court papers also show Cecil's family members suspected Gray was responsible for the murder. He was allegedly physically abusive to Cecil.

The family told investigators Gray was anti-government and had recently started acting crazy.

"We have given them every assurance in the world that we will do everything we can to make sure that justice is served in this particular case for the death of their daughter," Hicks said.

Gray is being held in the Grady County Detention Center on charges of first degree murder, larceny of a vehicle and attempted larceny of a vehicle.

Formal arraignment is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Friday.

9/24/2014 Related Story: Boyfriend Of Deceased Chickasha Woman Extradited Back To Oklahoma