SEQUOYAH COUNTY, Okla. — Update: The man accused of a double homicide near Gans in Sequoyah County has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of robbery with a weapon after he was arrested in Morrilton, Arkansas on Thursday morning.
Investigators said the victims in the Sequoyah County double homicide, Tara Underwood and Taylor Sharp, were found with apparent gunshot wounds at LaFerry’s Propane near Gans on Tuesday.
“This senseless and violent act is truly heartbreaking,” said District 27 District Attorney Jack Thorp. “These victims and their loved ones deserve justice, and we will fight to see that done.”
Sequoyah County deputies and agents from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation are investigating the deaths.
“I am extremely grateful for the hard work and dedication shown by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office and the OSBI,” stated Thorp. “I would also like to thank law enforcement in Arkansas from the Morrilton Police Department, the Arkansas State Police, and the Conway County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in locating and apprehending this violent criminal.”
Arkansas State Police shared a picture of Drake in handcuffs as he was taken into custody Thursday morning. Drake was wanted in connection to a double homicide in Gans, near Sallisaw, and another murder in Alabama.
FOX23 dug into Drake’s lengthy criminal past.
Court documents reveal Drake’s release from the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Alabama, is connected to a 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision that made one of his initial convictions a lesser crime. He got credit for time served when he petitioned to have a rehearing of his sentence.
His criminal record dates to 1994. That’s when court documents show he was convicted of armed robbery in Arizona. He also convicted of aggravated assault in the same state.
It wasn’t until 2010 when he was sentenced to 22 years in prison for an armed carjacking in western Alabama. That’s where he’d remain until his attorneys filed for a rehearing of his sentencing arguing his previous charges were no longer considered violent offenses because of the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Johnson vs. United States. We talked with attorney Tim Gilpin, who’s not connected to Drake’s case, about how that Supreme Court ruling played a role.
“In this case, the federal prosecutor and the judge agreed that one of the offenses used to increase his original sentence really shouldn’t have been considered, as far as the ability to make it greater,” said Gilpin.
A federal court in Alabama agreed one of Drake’s convictions should no longer go against him and he was re-sentenced to 11 years which would have had him getting out of prison in 2021. But according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, he was released in May of 2020—for credit with time served.
“What happens is once they have a sentence, they serve under the guidelines so much time with good behavior then get out. It’s a factor of our prisons being crowded,” said Gilpin.
Records show he was a repeat offender and charged with violating probation in 2022 which leads us to now. Where three more innocent people have died, and investigators are pointing the finger at Drake.
“I’m sure this judge did the best that he or she could and this is just a terrible tragedy this man got out and committed more crimes,” said Gilpin.
Drake also has an outstanding warrant for robbery out of Guymon that dates to 2010.
KOCO reported Drake is also linked to a murder in El Reno.
According to CNN, Alabama Police now think Drake was using fake names.
“He was also a federal inmate at different points in his career and there were outstanding pending federal charges on him for violating his parole,” said Captain Jack Kennedy, Tuscaloosa Sheriff’s Office. “At this time, it appears that he was traveling the country in this lifestyle utilizing false names in an attempt to keep from being incarcerated.”
UPDATE: Stacy Drake is now in custody according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. Drake was located and arrested Thursday morning in Arkansas by the Morrilton Police Department and Arkansas State Police.
As a manhunt continues for a cold blooded killer, FOX23 heard from the family of one of the two people murdered while at work on Tuesday night in Sequoyah County.
It’s a story that is making national headlines.
A mother, daughter, fiancée, friend and someone who was loved by all. The family of Tara Barnett-Underwood said this is a loss they will never get over.
“There is not enough words for me to describe my daughter. She was my life, she was the air that I breathe,” said Randy Barnett, Tara’s father.
Randy said in the darkness of this senseless act of violence, something has to change.
“We have seen too much gun violence, we have seen too much. At what point does the governor step in and say we have got to do something,” Randy said.
Investigators said 50-year-old Stacy Lee Drake stole a car after the murders, which was found two hours east of the crime scene in the town of Morrilton, Arkansas.
Arkansas State Police said they learned Drake bought camping gear in Morrilton and remains in the area as of Wednesday night.
They also said he is wanted for a murder in Alabama where he was last known to be living.
FOX23 also spoke with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OBSI) to learn details about the horrific murders in Sequoyah County and what people need to be on the lookout for.
OSBI said the murders happened at a small business in Sallisaw on Tuesday night.
They said they’re still searching for the suspect who they consider to be armed and dangerous.
“Right now we are considering Drake armed, dangerous and the public in not only Oklahoma and Arkansas, they need to be alert, aware and take caution whenever they get out,” said Hunter McKee with OSBI.
OSBI said around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sequoyah County deputies were alerted by someone who found two people dead inside of LaFerry’s Propane.
“Unfortunately as they continued to investigate, they did confirm that both the male and female did sustain injuries consistent with a homicide,” McKee said.
The sheriff’s office asked OSBI for their help in the investigation who were able to help identify the suspect as Drake.
Later that evening, it was determined that Drake had stolen the vehicle, as mentioned earlier, which was later discovered in Morrilton, Arkansas.
The photos below show the last time that Drake was seen in Arkansas at a hotel.
Morrilton Police said the hotel was searched, but Drake was not located. They are not sure if he was picked up from the area or left on foot.
“At this point our focus is finding him and doing everything in our power to work with Arkansas authorities to get him off the streets,” McKee said.
The Barnetts want to let the families of the other victims know they are not alone.
“We are not the only family impacted and that is why justice for Tara is so important. It is so important, we have to catch this guy so nobody else gets hurt,” Randy said.
They said they will continue to seek justice for Tara.
“We are sad and stricken by all of the losses that have happened over this. It is insane, it is like we are sitting in a scary movie and until he is caught or apprehended, we can’t get closure, we can’t get rest,” Randy said.
If you would like to donate to Tara’s family, click here.
FOX23 also heard from someone who lives in Morrilton where Drake is thought to be hiding out.
One woman said she wishes they would have been notified about what was going on sooner.
“A lot of people leave like their doors unlocked and stuff. The fact that we didn’t get notified until like 9:00 this morning and this happened last night. That was like a whole eight to nine hours of nothing. Like we didn’t even know. We thought we were still in paradise,” Taylor Hickman said.
Drake is a white man with brown hair and brown eyes. He is 5 foot 11 inches and weighs 185 pounds.
His last known address was in Birmingham, Alabama.
If Drake is seen, you are asked to call 911.
If you know where Drake is or have any additional information, call OSBI at 1-800-522-8017 or call the Morrilton Police Department at 501-354-0131.
The Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office is also asking residents in the Maple, Akins, Hanson and Central communities to please contact them if you have seen Drake in the last three days. They can be reached at 918-775-1213.