A nine - woman , three - man LeFlore County jury deliberated almost seven hours before finding Christopher Kenyon Simpson , 27 , guilty of two counts of first - degree murder .
Christopher Kenyon Simpson
woman man leflore county jury deliberate seven hour find christopher kenyon simpson 27 guilty count degree murder
A nine - woman , three - man LeFlore County jury deliberated almost seven hours before finding <m> Christopher Kenyon Simpson </m> , 27 , guilty of two counts of first - degree murder .
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Posted September 26 , 2013 - 3 : 47pm Updated September 27 , 2013 - 6 : 56am
LeFlore Jury : Simpson Guilty Of Killing Pregnant Girlfriend
A Spiro man was found guilty of two counts of first - degree murder Thursday evening in the 2012 shooting death of a Fort Smith woman and the subsequent death of her 8 - to 12 - week - old fetus .
A nine - woman , three - man LeFlore County jury deliberated almost seven hours before finding <m> Christopher Kenyon Simpson </m> , 27 , guilty of two counts of first - degree murder .
Jurors recommended the maximum sentence , life without the possibility of parole and a $10 , 000 fine on both counts .
Formal sentencing is set for 11 a . m . Nov . 8 before LeFlore County District Judge Jon Sullivan .
Flynn's father Herbert Flynn of Fort Coffee said later , "I'm glad it's over .
I'm glad we got the verdict we got .
She deserved it . "
After the courtroom emptied , Crawford County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jacob Howell and District 27 Assistant District Attorney Anthony Evans credited the verdict in the complicated and mostly circumstantial case to smart , attentive jurors .
In closing arguments on the sixth day of Simpson's trial , Howell projected onto a video screen a photo of 20 - year - old victim Ka'Loni Flynn's body sitting in the driver's seat of her car , bullet wounds to her forehead and temples .
Some audience members gasped audibly in the crowded , otherwise quiet courtroom gallery .
"We know that's how we got here , " Howell said , indicating the photo .
"I hope we showed you this was investigated thoroughly , and that every possible suspect was investigated and excluded except one , " Howell said .
The prosecution contends Simpson planned the murders , then shot Flynn execution - style twice in the head on Easter Sunday , April 8 , 2012 , killing her and her fetus because he did not want another child to support , and Flynn refused an abortion .
A DNA expert testified earlier that Simpson fathered the fetus .
Howell contended Simpson's planning began in early April 2012 when he asked Mackenzi Clayton , a relative , about tracking a pay - as - you - go phone .
Throughout the investigation and court proceedings , Simpson repeatedly denied having bought such a phone despite a Walmart video showing him doing so , then on Wednesday he testified he bought it , but for Clayton , not for himself , Howell said .
Howell reminded the jury that Flynn's roommate testified Flynn left their apartment around 10 : 30 p . m . April 8 , a time matching the 10 : 30 p . m . call Simpson's cousin's wife testified she saw him engaged in at her garage .
Howell reminded jurors that Verizon Wireless , Cricket Wireless and Federal Bureau of Investigation cellular analysis experts testified about how the calls between the phone Simpson purchased and Flynn's phone pinged in cell towers covering the U . S . 271 corridor where Simpson planned to spend the night with his cousins in Fort Smith and the rural McGinnis Lane area between Pocola and Spiro where Flynn's body was found .
Between 10 : 37 and 10 : 58 p . m . April 8 , the pay - as - you - go phone called Flynn's phone six times .
Arkansas State Trooper Mary Minor testified she pulled Flynn over at 10 : 46 p . m . for speeding on Interstate 540 .
Flynn was heading toward Oklahoma , Minor stated .
Howell said at 11 : 01 p . m . Flynn's phone called the pay - as - you - go phone , and two employees of the Sac - N - Pac near McGinnis Lane testified they heard two to three gunshots around 11 p . m .
Howell contended Simpson's whereabouts were not accounted for between 10 : 30 p . m . and 11 : 21 p . m . , when he made a purchase at an E - Z Mart near his cousins' home .
And Howell reminded jurors that Simpson's cousins testified they became concerned about Simpson's prolonged absence for the quick trip to the E - Z Mart and called him three times beginning at 11 p . m .
Those calls rolled to voice mail .
In his closing statement , defense attorney Warren Gotcher of McAlester argued that the two Sac - N - Pac clerks stayed outside on their smoke break for 10 minutes after hearing the gunshots and never saw a car exit McGinnis Lane .
Gotcher argued the timeline evidence showed Simpson couldn't have been involved .
He said area resident Erica Hawkins saw Flynn's car in the roadway at 11 : 41 p . m . , and pulled around to shine her bright headlights on it .
He reminded jurors that Hawkins testified the driver's window was rolled down and she saw a red light inside the car , but she didn't see anyone in the car .
Gotcher suggested the light could have been from a phone charger found unattached on the seat next to Flynn .
Gotcher said when deputy Terry Springwater arrived on the scene around 3 a . m . April 9 , the car window was rolled only three - fourths the way down , the parking lights were on , the trunk was unlatched and there was a body in the car .
Gotcher reminded jurors an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation expert testified that Flynn's body had not been moved after she was shot .
"Sometime between 11 : 41 p . m . and 3 a . m . , the window was rolled three - fourths the way down , parking lights turned on and trunk unlatched and maybe the phone charger disconnected , " Gotcher contended .
He contended , too , that Clayton testified as the prosecution wished because he was afraid his parole would be revoked , and that Simpson's cousins , likewise , testified as they had because they'd been threatened with a firearms charge and having their child taken away .
Evans contended Simpson attempted character assassination of Flynn and attempted to divert blame for her murder to others because "the defendant has the spotlight on him , and it's hot , and he needs to get it off him .
So what does he do ?
He pushes it over here .
Desperate men do desperate things . "
Evans contended Simpson destroyed or manipulated evidence throughout the investigation .
"I submit to you that beyond a reasonable doubt , the defendant is guilty of killing Ka'Loni Flynn , and when he shot her , he also killed his own child , " Evans said .