Gary Rightsell plead Guilty on 6/10/02, in Muskogee District Court. On August 29th Judge James E. Edmondson sentenced Rightsell to 30 years in prison. His guilty plea to being an accessory to the murder of my Mother could have gotten him up to 45 years of hard time; however, he received 10 years of the sentence was suspended pending good behavior in prison because he had co-operated with the police in the arrest of Amanda K. Lane.

Amanda K. Lane did not come up with the idea of killing my mother in a vacuum.  The murder was plotted before the act, Gary Rightsell was there from the germ of the idea to the fruition on that dismal rainy November morning. For some reason, many involved in this investigation and prosecution can't seem to understand the over all conspiracy.  We intend to show that Rightsell was there and involved from the beginning.   We feel we will be able to place him in the house and even doing part of this evil act of violence. Between now and his trial date of June 10th, 2002 , we hope to convince the authorities that he should be in prison for life, just as Amanda is, because he is just as guilty.  So please check back with us on a regular basis as we lay out the case against Gary Rightsell, violent murderer and liar.

We begin the case with the testimony of Lane who was sentenced to Life in Prison by Judge James Edmondson on November 19th, 2001 after this testimony presented here from the official court transcript. We begin with her attorney, Jay Cook, asking the questions and Lane responding under oath.

David Pierce is the Assistant District Attorney on this case.  I think it is very telling when Amanda answers his skepticism with a logical answer for a street-smart person such as her.

The first story Amanda told to the police the night of the murder and the last story she told under oath a little over a year after the murder is very close to the same. She says she was afraid for her child and her life.  I have other evidence that backs up this story.

Mike Rilla was Amanda's step father. He served in Vietnam.  He was very ill when this happened. He was suffering from agent orange effects.  He was getting very little help from the Veterans Administration. Todd Robertson, my sisters son and I were at my Mother’s house a few days after the murder.  Rilla was outside. He walked over to us and apologized for his step daughter and what had happened. As the conversation continued< we got around to Halloween Night and the last time he saw Amanda.

"Those boys she ran around with were no damn good.' He said. "Gabriel Anderson and Gary Rightsell were in the house with Amanda that night. My wife and the little girl were asleep in the bedroom.  Gabriel issued a threat and Gary backed him up   He was looking at the little girl and said something like, she sure is cute.  I hope she lives a long time."

Rilla 's eyes were now wide and his soft voice continued; " I didn't like the way they said it, you know.  I went into the back bedroom and got my gun.  I came out and told them to get out of there. Right now! They did and Amanda left with them."

The next thing he said sent a chill down my spine.  I guess I was looking at the boarded up windows on his house.  " I put those boards on the windows not to keep Amanda in, but to keep her out."

A few months ago, Rilla passed away. Amanda was at his burial. I was told she was dressed in jail  house orange and wearing handcuffs.