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A man who committed murder in Osage County in 2015 was sentenced on Wednesday in federal court.

Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell sentenced Jeremy Keith Reece, 36, to 45 years in federal prison for murder in the second degree. Following his prison sentence, he will serve 5 years on supervised release.

In a statement, United States Attorney Trent Shore said: “Justice was served today in the form of a 45 year federal prison sentence. I pray it brings some measure of peace to Rick Holt’s surviving family and friends. Our pursuit of justice for Rick Holt does not end today. We won't rest until all those responsible for this heinous murder are held accountable.”

On Thursday, Feb. 6th, 2020, Reece, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree. Reece admitted that he intentionally shot and killed the victim in Osage Nation Indian Country in 2015. During the change of plea hearing and according to the plea agreement, Reece took the victim from his residence then transported him to Osage Nation Indian Country where Reece shot the victim three times. Reece then dug a shallow grave, placed the victim in the grave, and set the victim’s body on fire.

The murder case was originally filed in state court but in 2017, following an adverse ruling at the district court level that the State of Oklahoma did not have jurisdiction to prosecute the case, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals issued a ruling staying the case until jurisdictional issues were resolved.

Reece will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

This prosecution is the joint effort of the Osage County District Attorney and the United States Attorney’s Office. The investigation was conducted by the Osage County Sheriff’s Office, Pawhuska Police Department, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Osage Nation Police Department, and the FBI.