Stacy Drake to stand trial in Oklahoma double homicide linked to nationwide killing spree

Stacy Lee Drake, suspect in four murders in multiple states, was back in an Oklahoma courtroom Tuesday for a second and final day of preliminary hearings. The court reviewed evidence in a double murder case that has gripped Sequoyah County for nearly a year.

Victims' Families Push for Justice

Drake is charged with killing Tara Underwood and Taylor Sharp, who were found dead at LaFerry’s Propane in Muldrow on June 18, 2024. For Tara’s sister, Tia Barnett, every day in court is a reminder of what was lost—and what remains at stake.

“There are six kids now without their parents, Taylor and Tara,” Barnett said. “We deserve that justice.”

Barnett and her niece, Jaelee Johnson, Tara’s oldest daughter, have attended the hearings to keep their loved ones’ memories front and center.

“You cared about me and my siblings so, so much,” Jaelee said about her mother. “It’s something I will always hold near to me.”

A Multi-State Manhunt Revisited in Testimony

Tuesday’s hearing focused on Drake’s movements after the killings. Prosecutors say he stole Tara Underwood’s white GMC SUV and fled the state. He was ultimately captured in Morrilton, Arkansas, two days later, sleeping in a hammock in the woods.

Witnesses included Special Agent Kristen Dumont of the Arkansas State Police and Detective Ivette Medina of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in Alabama. Their testimony outlined the intense, multi-day manhunt that crossed state lines before Drake’s arrest on June 20, 2024.

Linked to Additional Murders

Drake’s legal troubles extend beyond Sequoyah County. In August 2024, he was charged with a third murder in Canadian County, Oklahoma, where prosecutors say he killed Phillip Emerson before heading east. He’s also a suspect in a fourth killing in Alabama.

Drake had previously served time in federal prison for a 2010 carjacking in Alabama. Although initially sentenced to 22 years, his sentence was reduced in 2017, and he was released shortly before the 2024 killings.

Family: “It Feels More Hopeful This Time”

This is not the family’s first time sitting through painful court proceedings, but Barnett says something about this hearing feels different.

“It’s different this time than the first time. I feel like we do have a great defense team,” she said. “It feels more hopeful.”

She’s also urging community members to show up.

“Getting my sister’s story out there and making sure that it is heard... If anybody does want to come to the open courts, they are more than welcome,” Barnett said.

Judge Sends Case to Trial

After two days of witness testimony, a Sequoyah County judge ruled there is enough evidence to move the case to trial. Drake is scheduled to be formally arraigned on July 7 at 1:30 p.m.

Until then, he will continue to be held in the Sequoyah County Jail.

For the families of Tara and Taylor, the courtroom proceedings are difficult, but necessary.

“The maximum,” Johnson and Barnett said when asked what justice would look like. “Whatever that may be. Full justice.”

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News On 6 will continue following this case as it develops.