Death penalty sought in 2022 triple murder case

Prosecutors have filed a "request or imposition" of the death penalty for Robert Edwin Lewis, who was accused of killing three people in 2022.

On Monday morning, Tahlequah News asked for court documents pertaining to the "bill of particulars", which was filed May 29, and we were told those reports were sealed by a court order.

A judge ordered mental observation/evaluation to determine the competency of Lewis back in October 2022 and the case was continued as the state awaited the forensic examination report. Lewis was found competent during a March 4 hearing.

Lewis was ordered to be examined for competency to stand trial on Feb. 22, 2023. It was further ordered that a qualified professional, which is designated by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services Development Disability Services, was authorized to participate in the competency evaluation process “wherein development or intellectual disability may be involved.”

Lewis pleaded not guilty to all three counts of murder for the killings Quinley Lamb, 43, and Brian Shackelford, 51, both of Sharp County, Arkansas, and DeAnna Tippey, 36, of Cherokee County. Tippey was Lewis' girlfriend. According to an affidavit, Lewis was taken into custody Jan. 28, 2022 at the Cherokee Casino in Tahlequah after he called Elden Graves, who was a detective with the Tahlequah Police Department at the time.

Lewis was transported to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office when he drew a map of where a body was located.

Lewis then explained that there were three bodies buried on his property, subsequently confessing to killing the three. Lewis told investigators he thought he wanted to talk to an attorney. The bodies were discovered in shallow graves on the property at 25182 E. 770 Road in Cherokee County.

Lewis' arraignment is slated for June 6 in Cherokee County District Court.