A seven-woman, five-man jury found Daniel Hawke Fears, 20, guilty of 17 counts and recommended the maximum punishment for each count for the shooting deaths of Patsy Sue Wells of Sallisaw and Reba Spangler of Fort Smith, Ark.
The jury turned away the defense argument that Fears was insane at the time of the shootings and should be found not guilty by reason of insanity.
The jury found Fears guilty on two counts of first-degree murder for the shooting deaths of Wells and Spangler. The jury recommended life without the possibility of parole as punishment for the first-degree murder counts. Fears was also found guilty on eight counts of shooting with intent to kill, and the jury recommended the maximum punishment of up to life in prison.
The jury found Fears guilty of five counts of drive-by shooting, and recommended the maximum amount for each count, which is 20 years.
The jury found Fears guilty of one count of feloniously pointing a firearm and one count of discharging a firearm with intent to kill. The jury recommended the maximum punishment for both counts, which was 10 years in prison and life in prison.
Assistant district attorneys, Jeff Sheridan and Doug Kirkley, argued that the catalyst to the shooting spree was an argument Fears had with a neighbor's son, Greg Caughman. Caughman testified during the trial that Fears almost ran over the Wells' granddaughter, who was riding her bicycle in the street of the quiet neighborhood. The incident caused a verbal exchange between the two men.
During the defense's closing arguments, Nigh compared Fears' mental state to driving on a sheet of ice. Nigh painted a picture of lifelong mental illness that ended in violence.
The defense said Fears believed he was in an alien game show and believed he was supposed to kill people.
