Oklahoma Man Guilty of Murder Over ‘Joke’ Casino Winnings

Posted on: March 8, 2022, 02:25h. 

Last updated on: March 8, 2022, 02:37h.

Philip Conneller @casinoorgphilc Read More

Expertise: Gaming Business, Regulation, Tribal Gaming.

An Oklahoma man who shot and killed a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation because he wanted to steal non-existent casino winnings has been found guilty of murder by a federal jury.

Kevin Marvell Jackson, 20, pleaded not guilty in the October 19 killing of Bradley Dillon, whose joke that he had won big at a casino tragically cost him his life.

Now Jackson faces mandatory life in prison when he is sentenced later this year. He was convicted of robbery and firearm offenses, in addition to the murder charge.

The jury heard that at about midnight on October 19, Dillon and his friend, Dakota Berryhill, visited a residence of a friend in the city of Muskogee, in the Creek Nation reservation, 50 miles southeast of Tulsa.

Several youths had gathered at the property, including Jackson and Natalie McMahon, a friend of Dillon’s who was in a relationship with Jackson.

No Joke

According to court documents, from there, Dillon and Berryhill went a local casino. Casino.org presumes this to be the Creek Nation Casino Muskogee, which is the only one in the area.

At some point, Dillion and Berryhill made a call to the property to say they were on their way back. They joked they had won $10,000. In reality, they had won very little.

Taking the joke at face value, Jackson resolved to lie in wait and rob the pair as they returned to the house.

Vicky Garza, a tenant at the residence, told investigators she saw a black male in a black hoodie and black ski mask, holding a black and gray firearm, walking behind Dillon and Berryhill as they approached the house.

Later, when the man removed his ski mask, Garza was able to identify him as Jackson.

When he realized they had no money, Jackson ordered the pair back into their car to drive to an ATM machine. Berryhill, who was a minor at the time, got into the vehicle and sped off, leaving his friend behind.

Jackson then shot Dillion five times, killing him.

Incriminating Messages

Jackson was later detained by federal authorities in Oklahoma City. He was incriminated by witness testimonies and Facebook Messenger conversations with McMahon, in which she assured him she did not “snitch” on him to the feds.

Dillon’s mother, Brandy Wheeler, described Dillon to 2NewsOklahoma as an “outdoorsman who was gentle and kind.” She said she feels some sense of closure after Jackson’s conviction for the pointless murder of her son.

“I feel as much justice that the law allows,” Wheeler said. “And God’s the final judge.”