John Charles McCluskey to Receive Life in Prison for Murdering Oklahoma Couple

WASHINGTON—John Charles McCluskey, 48, will receive a life prison sentence for a host of crimes arising from the carjacking and murder of a couple from Tecumseh, Oklahoma, after a federal jury announced that it could not reach a unanimous decision on whether to impose the death penalty. McCluskey was charged with several capital offenses in a 20-count indictment arising from the carjacking and murders of Gary and Linda Haas, both 61, in Quay County, New Mexico, on August 2, 2010. On October 7, 2013, the jury found McCluskey guilty on all counts of the indictment after an eight-week trial. On November 5, 2013, the jury found McCluskey eligible for the death penalty following a three-week proceeding. The capital trial concluded when the jury said it was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on the death penalty. McCluskey will receive a sentence of life in prison. The court has not yet scheduled a date for the imposition of the sentence. “During an exceptionally violent criminal episode in the summer of 2010, John Charles McCluskey escaped from prison, where he was serving a sentence for attempted murder, committed multiple kidnappings during his interstate flight from justice, and mercilessly killed two innocent victims to eliminate them as witnesses,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Raman. “Through the hard work of federal and state law enforcement and Department of Justice prosecutors, McCluskey and his co-defendants have been brought to justice. Our thoughts are with the victims and their family.” According to the evidence presented at trial, McCluskey and co-defendant Tracy Allen Province, 46, escaped from an Arizona state prison on July 30, 2010 with the aid of co-defendant Casslyn Mae Welch, 47. On August 2, 2010, McCluskey, Province and Welch carjacked Mr. and Mrs. Haas and their pickup truck and camping trailer at a rest stop off Interstate 40 in Quay County, New Mexico. McCluskey shot and killed Mr. and Mrs. Haas in the trailer in a remote location east of Tucumcari, New Mexico. The three confederates then drove the Haases’ truck and trailer to a remote area in Guadalupe County, New Mexico, where they unhitched, burned, and abandoned the trailer with the Haases’ remains still inside. On August 4, 2010, the New Mexico State Police discovered the burned remains of Mr. and Mrs. Haas in the trailer. Province was arrested in Wyoming on August 9, 2010, and McCluskey and Welch were arrested in Arizona on August 19, 2010, following a nationwide, multi-agency manhunt. The trial evidence also established that McCluskey has the following prior convictions: convictions in 1993 in Pennsylvania for aggravated assault with a firearm and three armed robberies, for which he served 15 years in state custody; convictions in 2009 in Arizona for attempted second-degree murder and aggravated assault with a firearm, for which he received a 15-year state prison sentence in Arizona; and convictions in 2011 in Arizona for escape, kidnapping, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and felon in possession of a firearm, for which he received a 43-year prison sentence to run consecutive to his 15-year sentence. On January 20, 2012, Province and Welch each entered a guilty plea to numerous crimes arising from the carjacking and murder of Mr. and Mrs. Haas, and both testified during the guilt phase of McCluskey’s trial. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Province will be sentenced to five consecutive terms of life in prison without the possibility of release. Welch faces a maximum penalty of life in prison under her plea agreement. Both remain in custody pending their sentencing hearings, which have yet to be scheduled.