Defendant in murder, assault on elderly Tulsans downplayed actions, detective testifies
BY BILL BRAUN World Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 07, 2012
A man who is charged with murdering an elderly woman and assaulting her husband during a residential robbery told police that he beat the man and slapped the woman, a detective testified Tuesday.
Tyrone Dale David Woodfork, whom prosecutors also allege raped Nancy Strait, indicated that he did not touch her other than to slap her, according to Tulsa Police Detective Vic Regalado.
Woodfork said he beat “the old man” — identified by police as Bob Straight — and fired a BB gun into his face, Regalado testified at a preliminary hearing that began Tuesday.
Woodfork said he entered the couple’s house in the 3300 block of East Virgin Street after he kicked open a back door early on March 14, the detective said.
Woodfork, who did not use the names of the victims, indicated that he encountered Bob Strait inside the house and began beating him and demanding items of value, according to Regalado.
Woodfork said Nancy Strait told him her husband could not hear him because of deafness.
Woodfork said he responded that he was “sorry about that,” the detective said.
Woodfork said he slapped her because she kicked him, Regalado said.
Prosecutors allege that Woodfork, 20, of Tulsa, beat Nancy Strait fatally.
When questioned by police, Woodfork brought up the issue of sexual assault without police raising the subject, and he said “he was not a molester,” Regalado testified.
Woodfork gave conflicting accounts regarding whether anyone else was involved, Regalado said.
When questioned by police, he named some people, but he later recanted those names. On several occasions Woodwork insisted that “he was by himself,’’ Regalado testified.
Nancy Strait died the day after the attack. A medical examiner listed her probable cause of death as complications of blunt head trauma.
Bob Strait died May 4. A medical examiner reported that he “had many severe underlying medical conditions,” with the most likely cause of his death attributable to natural disease.
The Straits were married for 65 years. Medical examiner reports show that Bob Strait died at age 89 and that Nancy Strait died at 84.
The manner of Bob Strait’s death was classified by the medical examiner as natural. No homicide charge was filed against Woodfork in connection with his death.
In addition to the murder charge in Nancy Strait’s death, Woodfork is charged with two counts of first-degree robbery and single counts of first-degree rape, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and first-degree burglary.
Andra Harper, the Straits’ daughter, testified about finding her parents on the floor in their home — which had been ransacked — when she went to check on them on March 14.
Her father kept “asking for Mama,” and her mother was “breathing but not responding,” she said.
Woodfork has been in the Tulsa Jail since March 15.
The hearing resumes before Tulsa County Special Judge David Youll on Aug. 31, when a few more witnesses are expected to testify.
Associated Images:
Tyrone Dale David Woodfork
This family photo shows Nancy and Bob Strait. Courtesy
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