Parole was denied to a Sallisaw man sentenced to life imprisonment for first-degree murder.

The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board last year recommended Lloyd W. Kennedy for parole, but that parole was denied after a hearing attended by officials with the Sequoyah County District Attorney’s office in Sallisaw.

Kyle Waters, Sequoyah County assistant district attorney, said his office strongly opposed the parole recommendation, and he and Amanda Grizzle, the district attorney’s victim and witness coordinator, attended the hearing and voiced opposition to Kennedy’s release.

Grizzle said the family and friends of the victim, Ted Haggard, also voiced their opposition to Kennedy’s release

Grizzle said State Sen. Kenneth Corn (D-Poteau) and State Rep. Glen “Bud” Smithson also voiced opposition to Kennedy’s release to Gov. Brad Henry.

Waters said the district attorney’s office did not believe Kennedy should be released after receiving a life sentence. He added that although the parole board made their recommendation at their August meeting, the recommendation for parole had to be considered by the governor. Henry denied the parole, and signed the denial on Jan. 8.

Lloyd W. Kennedy and his brother, Olen, were convicted Sept. 13, 1973, of the death of Ted Haggard, 65, a service station operator in Sallisaw. The brothers were given life sentences.

Haggard’s remains were found Dec. 4, 1972, near Dwight Mission. One witness testified that Haggard was not at his service station east of Sallisaw on Dec. 4, which was unusual, and another witness, who saw Haggard and the Kennedys while driving to Sallisaw from Marble City, said a man believed to be Haggard ran in front of his vehicle and asked for help, telling the driver that “They are trying to kill me.” A man armed with a shotgun dragged the man away and told the driver the old man was drunk.

The Kennedys were reported to have returned to the scene of the crime as law enforcement agents were investigating, and were driving a green and white pickup truck identified by witnesses as the truck driven by those who were beating the old man.

Lloyd Kennedy was arrested that night and Olen Kennedy was arrested Dec. 5, 1972.

Olen Kennedy died in prison in 2008 at the age of 70.