A Norman murder defendant who walked away from the courthouse and missed a hearing is back in custody.
Zekeil Trinidad, 23, and Courtney Mays, 23, were both charged with second degree murder and two counts of child neglect in the death of their 15-month-old son at a Norman motel.
According to reports, Trinidad and Mays left the 15-month-old baby, a 4-month-old infant, and a 4-year-old child alone in the motel room while they went shopping at Walmart. The toddler was left strapped in a car seat when the parents left, and video surveillance shows that the couple left the children unattended for more than an hour and forty-five minutes.
When they returned, they reportedly found the 15-month-old still in the car seat, but the car seat had tipped over on its side. The toddler was unconscious, with the leg straps of the seat unbuckled and the chest clip around his throat.
Upon calling 9-1-1, Mays told police that she had just stepped outside of the room to smoke a cigarette for "15-20 minutes," and that although she heard crying from inside the room, she did not enter it to check on the child until Trinidad returned from "buying pizza" for the family.
However, surveillance video allegedly shows the couple leaving the motel at approximately 8:05 p.m. and entering a nearby Walmart at 8:13. Walmart surveillance video shows the couple leaving together just before 9:00, having shopped for nearly 40 minutes. They did not call 9-1-1 for more than an hour after leaving Walmart, with the emergency call coming in at 9:53 p.m., one hour and forty-eight minutes after they initially left the three children alone.
Courtney Mays pleaded guilty to all three felony counts and was sentenced to 30 years for each count. However, 10 years of each sentence is to be suspended, and the sentences for all three convictions are to run concurrently.
Last Thursday, Trinidad was also expected to plead guilty to the charges, and he showed up at the Cleveland County courthouse to sign paperwork in advance of his hearing. However, he soon disappeared and failed to appear at the hearing. Cleveland County District Judge Lori Walkley issued a warrant for his arrest on Friday, and by Saturday, Trinidad was arrested again and back in custody. He is currently held in the Cleveland County jail on complaints of failure to appear for second degree murder, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, distribution of a controlled substance/possession with intent to distribute, and carrying weapons.
If convicted of second degree murder, Trinidad faces 10 years to life in prison.
Image Credit: Keith Allison
