Convicted killer pleads innocent in death of Bixby woman

<br>PRYOR, Okla. (AP) _ A man convicted of killing a Tennessee service station owner pleaded innocent on Tuesday in the rape and stabbing death of a Bixby woman. <br><br>An attorney entered the plea on

Wednesday, September 11th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

PRYOR, Okla. (AP) _ A man convicted of killing a Tennessee service station owner pleaded innocent on Tuesday in the rape and stabbing death of a Bixby woman.

An attorney entered the plea on behalf of Steven Ray Thacker, who is charged in the December 1999 death of Laci Dawn Hill, 25.

Hill's body was found under debris in rural Mayes County outbuilding on Dec. 29, 1999, six days after she was reported missing.

Thacker, 31, faces the death penalty if convicted.

Chuck Ramsey, Mayes County assistant district attorney, said Thacker will return to court Oct. 28 when the court will set his trial date.

The judge gave Thacker's attorney, Silas R. Lyman III, until Oct. 15 to file motions.

According to court records, Thacker confessed to authorities that he went to Hill's home under the guise of wanting to look at a pool table she had advertised for sale in the newspaper.

In testimony during the preliminary hearing, Dennis Franchini with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said Thacker admitted to pulling a knife on Hill and demanding money.

He also allegedly said he took her credit/debit card, forced her into his car and drove her to a cabin in Chouteau where he raped and strangled her.

Thacker also admitted that he stabbed her in the chest when she didn't die quickly, court records show.

A family friend turned in Thacker to authorities after seeing a Wal-Mart surveillance videotape of Thacker on television, said Frank Cantey, Mayes County sheriff.

Thacker was convicted in February and sentenced to die in Tennessee for the Jan. 2, 2000, killing of Ray Patterson in Dyersburg, Tenn. His execution date has been stayed.

Thacker also is charged with first-degree murder in the Jan. 1, 2000, fatal stabbing of Forrest Reed Boyd, 24, of Aldrich, Mo.

Thacker, of Chouteau, was extradited to Oklahoma on June 13 and two weeks ago was ordered to stand trial in Hill's death.