Mother Of 2 Men Accused In Pawhuska Oilman's Murder Also Charged

The mother of two men jailed for the murder of a well-known Pawhuska oilman now has been charged as an accessory to the killing.

Ann Marie Reece is being held in the Osage County jail in lieu of $50,000 bond. She was charged on Wednesday with accessory after the commission of a felony because investigators say they have uncovered text messages she allegedly sent to one of her sons about the murder.

In Oklahoma, the conviction of accessory after the commission of a felony is punishable by 5-45 years in prison.

Ann Reece's sons -- Jeremy Reece, 31, and Tyler Reece, 18 -- were arrested two weeks ago and held without bond as authorities began to dig up a grave that contained the body of Rick Holt, 46. Charges against them were upgraded on Tuesday to first-degree murder, kidnapping and desecration of a corpse.

Holt's body was exhumed from a shallow grave on an oil lease in Osage County. The medical examiner identified his body last week.

9/10/2015 Related Story: Authorities Exhume Body Believed To Be Murdered Pawhuska Oilman

Documents say Jeremy Reece admitted to investigators he and his brother drove Holt's body out to the property and buried it together. Holt reportedly had just begun dating Jeremy Reece's ex-wife of five years. Documents filed after an interview with Jeremy Reece two weeks ago claim the Reece brothers drove out to Holt ranch early Aug. 31 and confronted Holt about his new relationship.

Holt wasn't seen for days, then was reported missing by a co-worker after Labor Day.

According to an affidavit filed on Wednesday morning, forensic cellular evidence was uncovered on Tyler Reece's phone showing his mother had communication with him concerning the killing. The document says Ann Reece "was aware both of her sons were involved."

The investigator for the Osage County Sheriff's Office, Doug Elliott, wrote that Ann and Tyler "discussed clothing worn during the commission of the crime, which included a specific brand name of clothing."

Elliott says law enforcement officers can place Ann Reece at her son Jeremy Reece's home in Pawhuska during at least one of the communications that occurred with her younger son Tyler. Ann Reece "had arrived and was standing outside the residence when a search warrant was being served" on Sept. 8, the affidavit says.

The document also claims Ann Reece gave specific instructions to Tyler Reece about certain things he needed to do to destroy evidence of his involvement in the crime.

"At least one of those instructions was that Tyler Reece should erase cellular device communication between himself and Jeremy Reece," the affidavit says.

Osage County officials said text messages were a key in recovering Holt's body.

"Based on information obtained from text messages and interviews conducted by the Osage County Sheriff’s Office, a shallow grave was located in rural Osage County," a release said two weeks ago.

The news of Holt’s disappearance and death rocked Pawhuska, with many saying Holt was a friendly, honest man who loved children, everyone knew and liked him, and he always found the laughter in everything. Holt even was well known in his youth, as he was a state champion wrestler for Pawhuska in the 1980s and a frequent local rodeo participant.

Holt was a "yes, ma'am, no ma'am," type of man and for anyone to want to kill him is shocking, friends told News On 6.

Friend Lindsay Long called Holt's murder a nightmare for those who loved him.

"I hope that it was fast. I hope he didn't suffer," Long said. "He didn't deserve to suffer. He didn't deserve it at all. There's been so many awful thoughts. I just can't imagine what took place."

Holt's funeral will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at the Osage County Fairgrounds Arena.