Hammer killing of boyfriend earns Lawton woman life in prison

A Lawton woman will spend life in prison with the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to the hammer death of her boyfriend in July 2022.

Katherine Lanette Anderson, 48, pleaded guilty Nov. 6 in Comanche County District Court to four felony charges — second-degree murder, desecration of a human corpse, unlawful removal of a dead body and conspiracy to commit a felony

District Judge Jay Walker sentenced Anderson to serve life with the possibility for parole for the murder charge and she will have to serve at least 85 percent of the sentence. Oklahoma statutes recognize a life sentence as 45 years so it will be 38 years and three months before she becomes eligible for parole.

Anderson pleaded guilty to attacking and killing John David Collins and stuffing his body in a garbage bin at 1220 NW 31st. Once Collins’ body was identified, he was traced back to room No. 118 at the Rodeway Inn, 3110 Cache Road.

Detectives discovered handwritten notes written by Anderson, Collins’ caretaker and girlfriend, the probable cause affidavit states. The notes described Collins’ death and attempts to dispose of his body involving the use of several cleaning agents dumped to mask the smell of decomposition, according to investigators.

Anderson admitted to killing Collins with a hammer because, in his immobile condition, he’d fallen and couldn’t get up, the affidavit states.

Another man, Larry Darryl Cornelius II, 44, of Lawton, had been accused of helping Anderson following the killing. In July 2022, he also received three felony charges: desecration of a human corpse, unlawful removal of a dead body and conspiracy to commit a felony, records indicate.

Charges against Cornelius were dismissed in October due to his death, records indicate.