To Hear the entire 911 call, listen to our episode on this case. It is uncut.
Muskogee police arrested Jarron Deajon Pridgeon of Muskogee on Feb. 2, 2021, OK. He was charged with six counts of first-degree murder, assault and battery with a deadly weapon, and possession of firearms during probation, court records show. 1. MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE- DELIBERATE INTENT (FELONY) 2. MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE- DELIBERATE INTENT (FELONY) 3. MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE- DELIBERATE INTENT (FELONY) 4. MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE- DELIBERATE INTENT (FELONY) 5. MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE- DELIBERATE INTENT (FELONY) 6. MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE- DELIBERATE INTENT (FELONY) 7. ASSAULT AND BATTERY WITH A DEADLY WEAPON (FELONY) 8. POSSESS FIREARMS AFTER CONVICTION OR DURING PROBATION (FELONY) Court records show Pridgeon received a deferred sentence in 2019 after being charged with two felony counts for allegedly throwing two large pieces of cement at a woman, striking her in the torso. A judge in that case ordered a mental health observation and evaluation, but those results are sealed. He was also charged with a felony from car theft in 2017. Police said they don’t yet know why Pridgeon fatally shot Javarion Lee, 24, who was his brother, or the children, some of which was his. The children’s mother, Brittany Anderson, was also wounded in the shootings early Tuesday and was hospitalized in Tulsa. It's suspected there was tension as the two brothers both had children with Brittany Anderson, the children's mother. Pridgeon and the victims lived in the home where the shootings occurred. Neighbors told the Muskogee Phoenix that they had only recently moved to the home but that the children were often outside playing. Raven Anderson, who is an aunt to the children, told Tulsa TV station KOTV that Pridgeon was the father of three of the slain children. “They were great kids, they were smart, full of happiness, energy. They were, they just loved life,” she said. Police identified the slain children as Jalaiya Pridgeon, 1; Jaidus Pridgeon, 3; Harmony Anderson, 5; Neveah Pridgeon, 6; and Que’dynce Anderson, 9. Pridgeon’s charge related to the mother of the children was filed as shooting with intent to kill, but it was amended to assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. It also should be noted that he was on probation when the slayings took place. 1. ASSAULT, BATTERY, OR A&B W/ A DANGEROUS WEAPON (FELONY) 2. THREATEN TO PERFORM ACT OF VIOLENCE (FELONY) 3. MALICIOUS INJURY TO PROPERTY-UNDER $1000 (MISDEMEANOR) Defense attorney Gretchen Mosley argued Wednesday afternoon that “a reasonable theory of innocence” exists with regard to allegations that Pridgeon killed the children. She acknowledged that the evidence could lead a person to a “reasonable inference” that Pridgeon killed Lee, but she said her client has “some real mental health issues.” She alleged evidence suggests that Lee (the brother), not Pridgeon, was involved in the homicides of the children, possibly prompting Pridgeon to shoot Lee in response while in the midst of a mental health crisis. But District Attorney Orvil Loge remained adamant that Pridgeon was criminally responsible, pointing to testimony from the surviving mother, who said she saw Pridgeon with a gun in his hand while he said, “I shouldn’t have done that.” “The only adult in the home uninjured that evening is Jarron Pridgeon,” Loge said. He added that Pridgeon’s legal history, including a 2019 felony assault and battery case, should have precluded him from having a gun. District Judge Bret Smith accelerated Pridgeon’s three-year deferred sentence in that case to a 10-year prison sentence, which Loge said was the maximum for the charge. Pridgeon had received the deferral following the completion of a mental health evaluation, you know, the ones that are sealed... yet this seems to tell us that he passed somehow.
The judge reiterated his decision to block journalists and other spectators from listening to evidence in the case and the trial has yet to take place. I'll keep you all updated on it. The judge had closed nearly all proceedings to anyone who was not directly involved with the case, telling attorney KatieBeth Gardner it was because he had agreed also to hear evidence on a deprived-child matter apparently related to the surviving children. Smith did not permit reporters to listen to Gardner’s arguments, which lasted about 10 minutes before she reported that he denied the motion because he’s “trying to serve the interests” of the surviving children. “And I noted that, obviously, you know, he could protect the interests of the children by having the deprived hearing separately, and that can be conducted privately according to state law,” Gardner said. “And then we could proceed with the preliminary hearing. And he just said he’s thought about it a lot; he wasn’t going to do that; so he’s planning to proceed.” Loge has generally declined to comment on details of the case out of court but alluded last week to Smith’s having an order that would restrict public access to the hearing. However, Muskogee County Assistant District Attorney Larry Edwards notified reporters that Smith said it was acceptable to hear arguments from attorneys made after Smith concluded the deprived-child hearing. Some of the testimony collected, including from the mother — the final witness — is expected to be used in both proceedings. “We’ve got a decision to make in the office. We don’t take that lightly,” Edwards said. Asked to clarify, he said, “Whether this is a death penalty case or not.” Despite the restrictions in place, Smith signed an order releasing portions of police body camera footage to the public. In doing so, he said “the public has a right” to see them and wrote that “accurate reporting by the media serves the public interest.” This footage is of when they arrested Pridgeon. He withheld portions he determined were “particularly graphic and disturbing,” including “recordings of deceased/survivors.”
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Since, he has also been charged with
1. OBSTRUCTING AN OFFICER (MISDEMEANOR) 2. RESISTING AN OFFICER (MISDEMEANOR) 3. POSSESSION OF CDS (MISDEMEANOR) Controlled Dangerous Substance
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in this case. He is currently detained in Haskell County Jail.
In just these two cases (including Bell Case), EIGHT children in all have had their lives extinguished far too soon.
Marjonna, 8 months
Jalaiya, 1
Essynce, 2
Jaidus, 3
Ebonie, 4
Harmony, 5
Neveah, 6
and Que’dynce, 9
If you are in need of support for Domestic Violence, you can go to www.thehotline.org/ where you can live chat, you can text START to 88788 or call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
SOURCES
https://www.oklahoman.com/article/2642689/murder-suicide-blamed-in-6-tulsa-deaths
https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=oklahoma&number=FD-1988-3308&cmid=575916
https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=oklahoma&number=PB-2011-1184&cmid=2798017
https://tulsaworld.com/archive/home-sad-home/article_e77529cf-79b9-515d-b41b-1662ba7a4c26.html
https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/14/us/6-in-family-killed-police-in-tulsa-find.html
https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/crime-and-courts/man-bound-over-for-trial-in-killings-of-five-children-and-defendants-brother-in-muskogee/article_2bdad238-faed-11eb-969d-7fa0992dcef0.html
https://apnews.com/article/jarron-deajon-pridgeon-charged-oklahoma-d7f8798a1312a422de2ac7e35018ab2c
https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/crime-and-courts/man-bound-over-for-trial-in-killings-of-five-children-and-defendants-brother-in-muskogee/article_2bdad238-faed-11eb-969d-7fa0992dcef0.html
https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=muskogee&number=CF-2017-00799&cmid=22128
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https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=muskogee&number=CF-2021-00098&cmid=25611
https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=muskogee&number=CM-2019-00390&cmid=59170
https://ncadv.org/STATISTICS
https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/fvs03.pdf
https://www.thehotline.org/