Judge sentences man to life in prison without parole in murder case
Apr. 18—A Pittsburg County judge followed a jury's recommendation Thursday during formal sentencing for a McAlester man found guilty in March for the 2017 death of Holly Cantrell.
A Pittsburg County Jury found 37-year-old Cody Ketchum guilty March 13 and recommended Ketchum to serve life in prison without parole for the charge of first-degree murder following a nine-day trial. The jury also recommended Ketchum to serve not more than one year in the county jail for a misdemeanor charge of destroying evidence.
Holly Cantrell went missing in January 2017 when she left the McAlester Regional Health Center on her lunch break. Ketchum told investigators at the time that he picked her up from the hospital and dropped her off at the Braum's on U.S. Highway 69 in McAlester so she could eat with friends. She never returned to work and was later reported missing by family.
The Pittsburg County Sheriff's Department opened a homicide investigation after remains were found in 2018 and later identified as Holly Cantrell's in 2020.
"Holly was a loving, caring person," wrote Sherrill Wilkins, the aunt of Holly Cantrell, in a victim impact statement read aloud by Oklahoma Assistant Attorney General Heather Anderson during the hearing. "I don't think you know what you did to our family."
Anderson also read aloud a statement from Tommy Cantrell, Holly's husband.
"She had her whole life ahead of her" Anderson read and stated Holly will soon have two grandchildren she will never get to meet or hold.
"Holly will miss so many firsts because of Cody," Tommy Cantrell wrote in his statement.
Ketchum did not make a statement to the court prior to his sentencing.
Anderson requested the court follow the jury's recommendations as the jury came up with the sentence on its own without hearing a sentence recommendation from the prosecution during trial.
Pittsburg County Associate District Judge Tim Mills followed the jury's recommendation and remanded Ketchum into the custody of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections with both sentences to run concurrently.
A motion was made by Ketchum's defense attorney, Brecken Wagner, who represented Ketchum pro-bono, to rule Ketchum indigent and allow Wagner to withdraw and appoint the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System to represent Ketchum moving forward in the appeals process.
Mills granted the motion with Wagner stating the appeal could be filed with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals as soon as Thursday afternoon.
Anderson inquired Mills about a 3D printed scan of a partial skull of Holly Cantrell that was presented to the jury during trial and if the item could be removed from the case file as there are high resolution photos available if needed.
Wagner objected to any removal of evidence from the file.
Mills ruled to leave the evidence "as is" and if any issues arise during the appeals process, then the issue could be addressed at that time.
