An Oklahoma man received a life sentence for a second time for the brutal 2013 murder of a Checotah woman, following a federal retrial mandated by the Supreme Court.
David Deval Martin, 40, will spend the rest of his life in prison without parole for killing his ex-girlfriend in what prosecutors described as a savage attack lasting up to 30 minutes.
The case highlights ongoing jurisdictional complexities in Indian Country following the landmark McGirt decision. Martin’s retrial represents the final case in a special federal project addressing murder prosecutions affected by the Supreme Court ruling.
The Supreme Court ruling in the 2020 McGirt v. Oklahoma case clarified that certain serious crimes committed by or against Native Americans on tribal lands fall under the jurisdiction of the federal government, not the state.
“The defendant in this case brutally murdered his victim in cold blood,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti. “By retrying the case and securing a life sentence for the Defendant, the Department of Justice has demonstrated our commitment to seeking justice for the victims of violent crime in Indian Country.”
Martin inflicted over 109 separate injuries to the victim’s head and neck on November 7, 2013. The medical examiner testified that the woman likely remained conscious during much of the prolonged attack.
Hours before the murder, witnesses saw Martin threatening the victim at a convenience store. He pointed his fingers at her head in the shape of a gun.
Forensic evidence overwhelmingly linked Martin to the crime scene. Investigators found his DNA mixed with the victim’s blood on the front door and recovered his fingerprint from a metal rod used in the beating.
Martin’s DNA also appeared on the steering wheel of the victim’s abandoned car. The McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI collaborated on the investigation.
“Today’s sentencing underscores the FBI’s dedication to working with our partners and achieving justice for victims of violent crimes in Indian Country,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater.
A state jury initially convicted Martin in 2016, sentencing him to life without parole. However, the Supreme Court’s McGirt decision required federal prosecutors to retry the case in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
A federal jury found Martin guilty of murder in Indian Country in October 2024. The U.S. Marshals Service will transport him to a federal prison facility to begin his sentence.