Tiff concludes her 2-parter this on one of OK’s worst bank robberies of all time…

On December 14, 1984, the Geronimo bank robbery and murder shocked the small town of Geronimo, Oklahoma, when 19-year-old Jay Wesley Neill, along with his boyfriend Robert Grady Johnson, committed heinous acts that resulted in the deaths of several bank employees and customers. Armed with a handgun and knife, Neill stabbed three female tellers, including a pregnant woman, and shot four customers, killing one. The duo fled with approximately $17,000 and was arrested three days later in San Francisco after using marked bills from the robbery. Both were convicted of murder and sentenced to death, with their appeals process taking seven years, during which unusual events, including competency trials and allegations of misconduct, unfolded.

As the legal proceedings continued, both men found themselves embroiled in a web of accusations and appeals. Neill, seeking to save his life, pleaded guilty while attempting to shift blame onto Johnson, leading to a renewed trial where he was again found guilty and sentenced to death. Johnson, who maintained his innocence, faced a trial with circumstantial evidence linking him to the crime but was ultimately convicted as well. The case raised significant questions about the influence of their sexual orientation in the judicial process, with some arguing that Neill's death sentence was affected by anti-gay bias. As of 2024, Johnson continues to file for new trials based on claims of withheld evidence, while the families of victims have also pursued civil actions against the bank for negligence regarding security measures.

Join us for the heartbreaking and tragic conclusion to one of Oklahoma’s darkest crimes. 

Sources

Wikipedia

LA Times

Clark County Prosecuting Attorney

The Gayly

Time

OK Court of Criminal Appeals

Oklahoma’s Most Notorious Cases Volume 2 by Kent Frates

The Lawton Constitution

KSWO 7 News