Lawton, Oklahoma – A man pleaded guilty to the brutal murder of his girlfriend’s relative after she allegedly asked him to kill the victim. Tevin Terrell Semien, 29, admitted to beating Karon “Dinkers” Conneywerdy Smith, 68, to death with a brick before disposing of her body in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Semien’s girlfriend, Nicole Leigh Logsdon, 24, pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to murder for assisting him in evading arrest.
Smith’s lifeless body was discovered in the wildlife refuge on May 17, 2023, with signs of bludgeon wounds to her face and head. Two days later, investigators found blood consistent with a violent struggle at her residence in Lawton, Oklahoma. Additionally, her vehicle was reported missing.
Law enforcement spotted Semien and Logsdon driving Smith’s vehicle on May 21, 2023, in Dallas, Texas. An attempt to stop the vehicle led to a high-speed pursuit, which ended when the suspects crashed into a lake. Both Semien and Logsdon attempted to flee but were apprehended by authorities.
During an interview with investigators, Semien initially denied any involvement in Smith’s murder. However, he later confessed that Logsdon, his girlfriend and a relative of the victim, had urged him to kill Smith due to their animosity towards her. Semien revealed that he went to Smith’s home, bludgeoned her with a brick, and then disposed of her body in the refuge.
Semien now faces a potential life sentence in federal prison for second-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Logsdon, on the other hand, could receive up to 15 years for her role as an accessory after the fact to murder.
Smith, affectionately known as Dinkers, was fondly remembered by the Comanche Nation – a Native American community to which she belonged. Her loved ones celebrated her life at a candlelight vigil on June 9, 2023, emphasizing her kindness and willingness to help those in need.