OKC Teen Set To Go To Trial For Elderly Couple's Death In Fire

A metro teenager is set to go to trial this week in connection with the death of an elderly couple.

Monday, February 11th 2013, 7:07 pm

By: News 9


A metro teenager is set to go to trial this week in connection with the death of an elderly couple. Tristan Owen is facing first degree murder and arson charges in the deaths of Boyd and Doris Haynes.

The teen confessed to making and throwing molotov coctails the night of the fatal fire.

7/15/2011 Related Story: OKC Teen Arraigned For Elderly Couple's Death In Fire

On Monday, prosecutors and the defense spent the day questioning potential jurors, as they worked to pick a jury of 12 men and women to hear this case.

Tristan Owen just turned 17, but was 15 when he was arrested. He has been in custody without bond since July of 2011, and will finally be seeing his day in court.

It was during the early morning hours of July 13, 2011, that firefighters responded to the home of Boyd and Doris Haynes near S.W. 75th and Miller.

Inside, they found their bodies. The Medical Examiner ruled the two died of smoke inhalation.

Hours later Oklahoma City police would arrest a 15-year-old boy for the deadly fire. Turns out the teenager, Tristan Owen, lived right down the street in this corner home with his mother and blind grandparents.

Court records indicate Tristan confessed to making lighting and throwing Molotov cocktails the night of the fire, but denied setting fire to the Haynes home.

It was nearly a year ago that his defense team had tried to get him certified as a juvenile, but a judge denied the request.

At a past court hearing his grandfather questioned why Tristan was even going to trial.

I don't think he should be tried at al," said Bob Owen, Tristan's grandfather back on February 17, 2012. " I think it should have been dismissed because there's no physical evidence."

For now it will be up to a jury to decide if the teenager is responsible for the deadly fire that killed the beloved couple.

Their son Terry Haynes, has donated the land where the Hayne's home once stood to Habitat for Humanity - and are ready to put this chapter of the couple's life and death behind them.

10/6/2012 Related Story: Family Of OKC Couple Killed In House Fire Donates Land To Habitat For Humanity

"This is a new beginning" Haynes said.

Haynes told us two years ago that the day his parents died in that fire was the day they were scheduled to go into an assisted living center.

The Haynes were in their eighties.

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