(Jan. 17, 2013) OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An execution date is set for a man convicted of killing a woman from Bixby in 1999. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals and the attorney general's office said Wednesday that Steven Thacker, 42, is to be put to death on March 12. Appeals, however, could postpone that date.
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(Jan. 7, 2013) SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The U.S. Supreme Court rejected the appeal of an Oklahoma death row inmate who killed three people during a crime spree 13 years ago. The Oklahoma Attorney General's Office says the nation's highest court rejected the appeal of Steven Thacker on Monday.
Thacker pleaded guilty in Oklahoma to first-degree murder, kidnapping and first-degree rape for the stabbing death of Laci Hill, 25, of Bixby, Okla., in December 1999. Thacker received the death penalty after a sentencing hearing before a judge. He waived his right to a jury trial and then pleaded guilty.
Prosecutors say Thacker went to Hill's home after seeing an ad that she placed to sell a pool table. Prosecutors say he kidnapped and raped Hill before strangling and stabbing her.
Thacker is also sentenced to death in Tennessee for killing a tow truck driver, Ray Patterson, 52, of Dyersburg, Tenn., on Jan. 2, 2000. Thacker was driving a stolen vehicle that broke down. Patterson towed his vehicle to his shop to fix it, and then was stabbed after Thacker tried to pay for the repair with a stolen credit card, which was rejected. Thacker then stole money, a gun and credit cards from Patterson and checked into a motel in Union City, Tenn., where he was arrested.
Thacker also received a life prison sentence for the death of Forrest Boyd of Aldrich, Mo., on Jan. 1, 2000. Thacker broke into Boyd’s home, stabbed him and stole his car while law enforcement officers were looking for him during a manhunt.
Before the manhunt in Polk County, Thacker hijacked a car in a parking lot in Springfield on Dec. 29, 1999. Hazel Lynch, 79, of Springfield and a 2-year-old girl were in the backseat.
The owner of the car met Thacker in the parking lot because he called and said he was interested in buying the car from her. The owner struggled with him and was injured when he hit her with a pistol before he sped away with her daughter and friend in the car.
Thacker led officers on a chase before letting Lynch and the toddler out of the car near Ash Grove and then crashing the car near Bearcreek in Cedar County. He fled on foot, setting off a search with officers and tracking dogs.
Thacker's criminal history before the murders included 13 convictions on check fraud and eight convictions on grand theft of a motor vehicle in Florida.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
