Tulsa World: Man convicted of killing Tulsa clerk put to death

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Man convicted of killing Tulsa clerk put to death

By Rhett Morgan
Published: 1/22/2009 7:12 PM
Last Modified: 1/22/2009 9:58 PM

McALESTER — Fourteen years later, the metal-bat beating of graveyard-shift store clerk Richard Yost still chills former Tulsa County District Attorney Bill LaFortune.

“All murders are terrible crimes,” he said. “But I think this crime and this murder was as barbaric a crime as we’ve ever seen in Tulsa County.

“The strongest piece of evidence — the surveillance tape — has to be one of the most compelling pieces of evidence ever presented to a jury anywhere, in my opinion.”

Darwin Demond Brown, 32, was executed Thursday night at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary for his part in the bludgeoning death of Yost, a 30-year-old attendant at a Tulsa QuikTrip, during a robbery on Feb. 26, 1995.

Yost’s body was found by a customer early that winter morning inside a walk-in cooler at the convenience store at 215 N. Garnett Road.

LaFortune said at the time that Yost was “beaten to a bloody pulp” in a fight for his life that pitted “four men and a bat versus one defenseless man.”

Two of Brown’s co-defendants, Billy D. Alverson, 37, and Michael L. Wilson, 33, also were handed death sentences and are awaiting execution. Wilson was a co-worker of Yost’s who took a post behind the counter to wait on customers as Yost lay dying in the cooler.

Richard J. Harjo, 30, another defendant in the case, received a no-parole life sentence.

“This is the final step to closing everything,” Yost’s widow, Angie Houser-Yost, said. “They have caused a lot of pain for a lot of people, not only for

my family and his family but for the people who walked in and found Richard, their visions, what they will live with now.”

When he was killed, Yost had just received his real estate license, said Houser-Yost, who witnessed the execution with a handful of other relatives, including her son, Lance Houser, now 22.

“We were planning on buying rental property,” Houser-Yost said. “We had also talked of adopting a little girl later in life.”

A store surveillance video and audio recording indicated that Yost was moaning and conscious when beaten with a metal baseball bat during a two-minute,11-second span. An assistant prosecutor estimated that 54 “pings” were audible on the tape, reflecting the number of times Yost was struck with the bat.

Brown spoke words of remorse Thursday.

“I apologize for anybody I hurt,” he said while strapped to a gurney with tubes in his arms. “I’m sorry to everybody. … I’d like to thank all of my family for the support that they’ve given me.”

Looking at his father, Dunbar Brown, and two uncles through the glass of the witness room, Brown mouthed “I love you” to Dunbar.

Lethal drugs were injected into Brown beginning at 6:05 p.m.

As the concoction began to take effect, Brown’s eyes rolled back and his mouth opened slightly. Seconds later, he rose up slightly to cough several times. He released a couple of gasps before becoming still, his eyes and mouth half-open.

He was pronounced dead at 6:11 p.m.

Brown had received his last meal Thursday afternoon: barbecued ribs, chopped beef, baked beans, potato chips, coconut doughnuts and chocolate milk.

By Rhett Morgan

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	Report Comment Yvonne Westhoek, Leiden (1/22/2009 7:20:09 PM) May your soul rest in peace my dear friend.
	Report Comment On the fence, Tulsa (1/22/2009 7:20:18 PM) I'm never happy to hear about an execution, but I understand why we have them. In some instances such as this, the punishment fits the crime.
	Report Comment On the fence, Tulsa (1/22/2009 7:23:07 PM) Yvonne, are you talking about the executed one or his victim? Just curious.
	Report Comment On the fence, Tulsa (1/22/2009 7:29:06 PM) Never mind. I saw your comments from a previous article. I understand your point of view. I'm glad there are people like you who reach out people like Darwin who may at least have a chance at a better place after execution. I wish there were more people like you reaching out to the Darwin's out there before they commit a violent act.
	Report Comment okie ridgerunner, small town (1/22/2009 7:41:58 PM) Well the state will save a little money now, and have room for one more.
	Report Comment TOF, Tulsa (1/22/2009 7:42:07 PM) It should never have taken 14 years for this execution to happen. It was 13 years to late.
	Report Comment standard39, Golden, MO (1/22/2009 8:07:49 PM) Sorry no sympathy for this brutal killer. Hope he drank a big glass of water before he was executed, because they don't have it in hell!
	Report Comment Bill Hader, Jenks (1/22/2009 8:16:19 PM) That's called taking out the trash... good. I agree TOF... I say make a express lane for death row. Should happen less than a year.
	Report Comment tulas, TULSA (1/22/2009 8:33:06 PM) Greeting to you all that will read this, it is soooooooooo amazing to me how we can hate people, even when they have done some very bad, God is the Judge. Darwin just wheninto the present of God, why do I say this? Because unlike us God for gives SIN, that what Jesus came to die for, you hate the Evil people do, and ask God to help you to for give them. Darwin gave his heart to the Lord, and ask God to forgive him, the body is dead, but in God his soul lives on. You see it does not matter if you are the murder, are the one who had gotten murdered, are you ready to met the Lord, are you sins for given? You see I had a Son Murdered by a preson he didn't even know, he was high on drugs, I hate what he done to my Son, but my Son know to call on God, so I know he is with the Lord, I ask the lawyers, Not to let him die, I wanted him to have the chance to give his heart to the Lord, I believe he will, God has carryed our family every sence. my prayer are with the Hearts that is very heavy right now, and I ask God to send his word and heal the heavy hearted, and to comfort those that are hurting, in Jesus names..
	Report Comment On the fence, Tulsa (1/22/2009 8:37:17 PM) Bill Hader, recently there have been quite a few death row inmates released around the country because the DNA evidence proved their innocence. I know this case does not apply, but to me waiting awhile is worth it to save a few innocent lives.
	Report Comment tulas, TULSA (1/22/2009 8:38:11 PM) That the reason you don't know what is in the heart of man only God does, Standard39 God has forgiven Darwin, and when that happens, you don't go to hell when you die, God bless you..
	Report Comment R U 4 Real?, Tent City (1/22/2009 8:47:27 PM) Punishment has been given Closure is received Souls have moved Eyes have cried Forgiveness By God
	Report Comment standard39, Golden, MO (1/22/2009 8:58:14 PM) Hummm tulas, I wonder if Mr.Brown gave Mr. Yost a chance to be forgiven for his sins before he beat him with a bat. Mr. Brown had 14 years to do that and I sure it was only because he was on death row. The why some of you people talk we should have just sung a few love songs and gave him a sloppy wet kiss and let him loose.
	Report Comment Sis Alpha, TULSA (1/22/2009 9:05:52 PM) It is amazing to me how you seem to know God better then his word, when did God die and leave you in charge, you don't know about the heart of man that is God busy, you should just forgive, and let Gods will be done
	Report Comment Sis Alpha, TULSA (1/22/2009 9:07:30 PM) tulas, TULSA (1/22/2009 8:33:06 PM) Greeting to you all that will read this, it is soooooooooo amazing to me how we can hate people, even when they have done some very bad, God is the Judge. Darwin just wheninto the present of God, why do I say this? Because unlike us God for gives SIN, that what Jesus came to die for, you hate the Evil people do, and ask God to help you to for give them. Darwin gave his heart to the Lord, and ask God to forgive him, the body is dead, but in God his soul lives on. You see it does not matter if you are the murder, are the one who had gotten murdered, are you ready to met the Lord, are you sins for given? You see I had a Son Murdered by a preson he didn't even know, he was high on drugs, I hate what he done to my Son, but my Son know to call on God, so I know he is with the Lord, I ask the lawyers, Not to let him die, I wanted him to have the chance to give his heart to the Lord, I believe he will, God has carryed our family every sence. my prayer are with the Hearts that is very heavy right now, and I ask God to send his word and heal the heavy hearted, and to comfort those that are hurting, in Jesus names..
	Report Comment On the fence, Tulsa (1/22/2009 9:08:40 PM) standard39, I think tulas is fully capable of understanding pain and suffering(see previous comment). I'm not a very devout Christian, but it's easy to understand the concept of forgiveness. The only question is about the severity of the punishment. Do humans have the right to kill other humans as punishment? I could understand someone saying yes if their reasoning was that they did not want to take a chance on having to forgive this person for the same act more than once. But too many want to execute out of hatred. Too many take satisfaction from someone elses death. I'm not sure if that's healthy.
	Report Comment Sis Alpha, TULSA (1/22/2009 9:09:41 PM) There was a mistake may I am tulas, be bless..
	Report Comment Bullhead, Nicut (1/22/2009 9:14:51 PM) Sis, I believe God's Will was done today at 6:11 p.m. ------------------------- tulsas, I see your point and I respect you for having such a wonderful, forgiving heart. I too pray your son's killer will ask for God's Mercy. You're a better person than I am for forgiving somneone for taking your son's life. God Bless you, tulsas. Peace be with you.
	Report Comment standard39, Golden, MO (1/22/2009 9:30:24 PM) On the fence, Brown proved that he could kill a innocent human. You cannot prove that he was no longer a threat just because he told you so. I'm sure some people could have sworn he was not capable before his crime. Just because he was in prison does'nt mean he was not a threat to guards and fellow inmates.
	Report Comment RomeosTune, Tulsa (1/22/2009 9:39:38 PM) An Eye For An Eye Deuteronomy 19:21 "And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot."
	Report Comment RomeosTune, Tulsa (1/22/2009 9:41:30 PM) Of course it wasn't quite and eye for an eye since this piece of crap some of you feel sorry for didn't suffer like his victim.
	Report Comment On the fence, Tulsa (1/22/2009 9:41:40 PM) standard39, I forgive him for his crime while understanding the need for his execution. I don't want to have to forgive him again. However, I have received no satisfaction from his death. I also understand that someone else may understand what this murderer has done while not wanting them executed. I don't understand why someone would be thrilled over an execution.
	Report Comment RomeosTune, Tulsa (1/22/2009 9:44:13 PM) Standard....You're exactly right. And think about this. No telling what all he got away with before this killing. You can bet this wasn't his first crime.
	Report Comment RomeosTune, Tulsa (1/22/2009 9:47:03 PM) On......I'm certainly not thrilled about this but I am completely satisfied justice was done. At least partially. I believe he should have suffered like his victim. That's who you all bleeding hearts should be feeling for.
	Report Comment RomeosTune, Tulsa (1/22/2009 9:48:02 PM) Good call Bull!

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