A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering three people — including a neighbor whose heart he cut out and planned to feed it to his family members.
Lawrence Paul Anderson was arrested in February after allegedly killing three people and stabbing another.
Anderson, 42, confessed to breaking into the home of Andrea Lynn Blankenship, 41, and stabbing her to death earlier on the day he was arrested.
After leaving Blankenship’s home in Chickasha, Oklahoma, he returned to the residence of his aunt and uncle, where he had been living after leaving prison just weeks before.
At the address — 214 West Minnesota — he cooked the heart of his victim and planned to feed it as part of a meal with potatoes to his family members, according to the search warrant released by authorities.
Anderson allegedly believed it would “release the demons.” He then allegedly killed his uncle, Leon Pye, and his aunt and uncle’s granddaughter, Kaeos Yates, who was just four years old.
He also allegedly stabbed his aunt, Delsie Pye, who survived the violent attack.
Anderson has a long criminal activity record and was released early from prison last month after serving time for previous convictions. He walked out of prison as part of a mass commutation effort.
The body of Blankenship was found two days after she was murdered, following the confession by Anderson while in hospital.
After being treated at a medical center in Oklahoma City, Anderson was then taken to Grady County Jail, where he is currently held. He was denied bail by a judge.
Standing in front of the judge, Anderson wept and repeated: “Oh God, Oh God. I don’t want no bail, your honor. I don’t want no bail.”
In the past, Anderson had been charged with drug offenses and domestic abuse, including attacking and pointing a gun at his then-girlfriend in 2006.
Grady County District Attorney Jason Hicks slammed the criminal justice reform that made it possible for hundreds of inmates in Oklahoma, including Lawrence Paul Anderson, to be commutated.
Hicks stated: “It is time that we do better. If we have the highest incarceration rate in the world, OK. We can look at our citizens and be honest with them and tell them that you’re safe. I can’t tell the people in my district today that they’re safe.”
He has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and a single count, each of assault with a deadly weapon and felony maiming. If convicted of murder, he will face a life sentence in prison or be executed.
Hicks shared: “The death penalty is absolutely on the table.”
Some have complained that the story did not get enough attention in national media.
