MUSKOGEE, Okla. — An Ada man was sentenced to life in prison on Monday for the 2019 murder of his 17-year-old girlfriend.
Tanner Washington, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of second degree murder in Indian Country on Aug. 31, 2022, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced.
As part of the plea, Washington admitted to murdering 17-year-old Faith Lindsey on Oct. 27, 2019.
Investigators said on Oct. 29, 2019, Lindsey’s family called the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office to report her as a missing person.
During the investigation, officers found blood in two of Washington’s vehicles and a pair of sunglasses.
Law enforcement with spoke witnesses who reported that on the night Lindsey went missing, Washington admitted she ‘was dead’ and ‘it was his fault.’
The crime occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
Lindsey’s body has yet to be found, the announcement said.
“The defendant’s life sentence is part of our effort to seek justice and accountability for the tragic murder of an innocent young woman, who had a long and vibrant life ahead of her,” said FBI Oklahoma City Acting Special Agent in Charge Sonia Garcia. “I am grateful for the unwavering work of our investigators and our law enforcement partners in this case – may it bring some measure of peace to the victim’s family.”
“The OSBI, along with other law enforcement agencies, continues to search for Faith Lindsey,” said OSBI Public Information Manager Hunter McKee. “We appreciate everyone’s hard work and dedication in arresting and prosecuting the suspect responsible for this heinous crime. We will continue our search for Faith and will not give up our efforts until she is brought home.”
“I applaud the great work of the Eastern District US Attorney’s Office for the successful prosecution of Tanner Washington,” said District Attorney Erik Johnson for District 22 comprising Pontotoc, Seminole, and Hughes Counties. “This case has left holes in a lot of hearts in Pontotoc County, and I’m glad to see that Tanner Washington will spend the rest of his days in federal prison.”
“The Chickasaw Lighthorse Police Department recognizes the valuable partnership between the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the District 22 District Attorney Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the Seminole and Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Offices, and the Pauls Valley Police Department for their work to bring resolution to this case,” said Charles C. Palmer, Chief of the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department. “The combined efforts to seek justice for a Chickasaw citizen within the Chickasaw Nation highlights the continued working relationship of law enforcement within Indian country.”
“The sentence imposed was a direct result of the defendant’s heinous crime and—despite pleading guilty—his callous refusal to provide the location of the victim’s body,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “I commend the work of state, county, tribal, and federal law enforcement in identifying Washington as the suspect and of our federal prosecutors in advocating for a life sentence.”
Washington will remain in custody of the US Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility.
