Blake Shelton is strangely connected to a huge murder trial that’s the subject of a new Netflix series, The Innocent Man. Stacy Shelton, who was a reporter during the murder trial of Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot, eventually became a key witness in the case. Click through the gallery for all the info.
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Photo credit: Netflix
Tommy, 58, and Karl, 53, were convicted for the kidnap, rape, robbery and murder of Donna “Denise” Haraway in 1985.
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Photo credit: MEGA
Denise, then 25, was abducted while working a late shift at the convenience store where she worked in Ada, Oklahoma, Blake’s hometown.
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Photo credit: Netflix
Stacy, 53, was at their trial, working as a reporter. When Tommy gave his alibi, describing a party he’d attended, Stacy knew he was telling the truth because it was her brother’s graduation party. She says in the series, “There are things that have literally haunted me for 30 years.”
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Photo credit: Netflix
But when she went to the prosecutors asking to testify, she was barred from doing so. She was just 19 at the time and was easily intimidated by the lawyers.
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Photo credit: Netflix
During the first trial, Denise’s body hadn’t been found, but the two men had taped confessions. They were convicted and sentenced to death.
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Photo credit: MEGA
Just before the pair were to be executed, Denise’s body was discovered. It wasn’t in the part of town where they had said they buried her, and she had been shot — not stabbed, like they “confessed.” They were granted retrials and Stacy finally testified. Still, the men were sentenced to life in prison.
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Photo credit: Netflix
During this same period, Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz were convicted of raping and murdering Debbie Carter in the same town. They were exonerated thanks to DNA evidence. Their trial was the focus of John Grisham’s book The Innocent Man. Tommy and Karl’s case was referenced in the book.
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Photo credit: Netflix
Now, the men’s plight is at the center of a new Netflix show, The Innocent Man. Stacy hopes the series will help get them out of jail and end the miscarriage of justice she believes she witnessed.
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Photo credit: MEGA
Stacy remembers growing up with Blake and jokingly calls him her “little brother.” She eventually married into his family. She features heavily in episode 4 of the series.
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Photo credit: MEGA
Will you be tuning in to Netflix’s the Innocent Man? Let us know in the comments!
Tommy, 58, and Karl, 53, were convicted for the kidnap, rape, robbery and murder of Donna “Denise” Haraway in 1985.
Denise, then 25, was abducted while working a late shift at the convenience store where she worked in Ada, Oklahoma, Blake’s hometown.
Stacy, 53, was at their trial, working as a reporter. When Tommy gave his alibi, describing a party he’d attended, Stacy knew he was telling the truth because it was her brother’s graduation party. She says in the series, “There are things that have literally haunted me for 30 years.”
But when she went to the prosecutors asking to testify, she was barred from doing so. She was just 19 at the time and was easily intimidated by the lawyers.
During the first trial, Denise’s body hadn’t been found, but the two men had taped confessions. They were convicted and sentenced to death.
Just before the pair were to be executed, Denise’s body was discovered. It wasn’t in the part of town where they had said they buried her, and she had been shot — not stabbed, like they “confessed.” They were granted retrials and Stacy finally testified. Still, the men were sentenced to life in prison.
During this same period, Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz were convicted of raping and murdering Debbie Carter in the same town. They were exonerated thanks to DNA evidence. Their trial was the focus of John Grisham’s book The Innocent Man. Tommy and Karl’s case was referenced in the book.
Now, the men’s plight is at the center of a new Netflix show, The Innocent Man. Stacy hopes the series will help get them out of jail and end the miscarriage of justice she believes she witnessed.
Stacy remembers growing up with Blake and jokingly calls him her “little brother.” She eventually married into his family. She features heavily in episode 4 of the series.
Will you be tuning in to Netflix’s the Innocent Man? Let us know in the comments!