Jury Acquits Murder Defendant Whose Arrest Caused Tulsa School Lockdowns

A jury acquitted a murder defendant whose arrest in 2013 caused three Tulsa schools to be put on lockdown.

Tuesday, January 20th 2015, 9:33 am

By: Richard Clark

Jury Acquits Murder Defendant Whose Arrest Caused Tulsa School Lockdowns

A jury acquitted a murder defendant whose arrest in 2013 caused three Tulsa schools to be put on lockdown.

Chauncey Jodonis Thomas and Joshua Qauyshaun Rogers were both charged with murdering Monte Foreman on October 27, 2013. Police had arrested Rogers shortly after the murder when they responded to a burglary call in east Tulsa on November 7, 2013.

10/28/2013: Related Story: Tulsa Police Make Arrest In Murder In Motel Parking Lot

The call was in the 11,000 block of East 15th Place and police quickly realized one of the two burglary suspects in that case was Thomas. The search caused three schools in the area to go on lockdown until officers could arrest the two suspects.

11/7/2013: Related Story: Murder Suspect Arrested After Police Respond To Burglary Call In East Tulsa

On January 16, 2015, a jury deliberated for about 90 minutes before finding Thomas not guilty of first-degree murder and robbery with a firearm.

Thomas and the man who was arrested with him in the burglary call, Kendall Keywon Wallace, both pleaded guilty last year to burglary and resisting an officer. Wallace also pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property.

A judge sentenced Thomas to six years in prison in the burglary case and Wallace to four years.

The murder and robbery case against Rogers is still pending.