Yesterday, a federal grand jury in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, returned a three-count indictment charging Jasper Reed, 27, a federal prison inmate, with first degree murder, attempted murder, and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
According to court documents, Reed entered the federal prison system on Dec. 27, 2023, to serve a 51-month sentence after a firearms conviction. On April 19, 2024, he was sent to the prison system’s Federal Transfer Center (FTC) in Oklahoma City. It is alleged that, on April 27, 2024, a correctional officer found Reed strangling his cellmate. The officer attempted to stop Reed by spraying him with oleoresin capsicum, commonly referred to as “pepper spray.” The pepper spray had no impact on Reed, and multiple officers had to restrain him. Reed was evaluated in a medical examination room and was cleared with no injuries. However, the victim was rushed to a local hospital and was diagnosed with several fractures to his nasal bone, orbital bone, maxillary sinus anterior wall, maxillary sinus lateral wall, and hyoid bone.
It is further alleged that, on May 8, 2024, Reed murdered a different FTC cellmate. Correctional officers found this victim lying on the cell floor housed by only the victim and Reed. After an autopsy was performed, a medical examiner determined the cause of death to be homicide by manual strangulation. This victim suffered fractured thyroid and hyoid bones and severe hemorrhaging to the chest.
The maximum penalty for the first-degree murder charge is death and Attorney General Pamela Bondi has authorized the United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma to pursue capital punishment in this case. Consistent with that authorization, the U.S. Attorney filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Reed.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma, made the announcement.
The FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany Edgmon and Brandon Hale for the Western District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the case with assistance from the Criminal Division’s Capital Case Section.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.