Co-defendant Christopher Somers has pled guilty in the Payne County murder case and admitted under oath that he acted alone in the death of Samuel Crawford, contradicting the State's theory that he and Michael Ritter acted together. Despite the State accepting Somers' statement, Ritter remains jailed without bond after 16 months, with his defense arguing that no forensic evidence links him to the crime and that the prosecution's case no longer holds. A hearing is set for October 7, 2025.
STILLWATER, Okla., Sept. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A significant development has emerged in the Payne County case against Michael Ritter, who has been held without bond for more than 16 months on charges including First Degree Murder.
On September 2, Somers entered guilty pleas in the case and, in a sworn statement to the Court, admitted that he acted alone in the tragic death of Samuel Crawford. The official court record states that Somers told the Court he "acted on his own accord and not conjointly with Michael Ritter."
This admission directly contradicts the State's long-standing theory that Ritter and Somers acted "together and conjointly," a theory that has been central to charging decisions and repeated denials of bond for Mr. Ritter. Despite Somers' sworn statement and the State's acceptance of it, Mr. Ritter remains in custody awaiting trial.
"This development changes the factual landscape of this case," said Aaron W. Easton, attorney for Michael Ritter. "Our client has maintained his innocence from day one. With Mr. Somers admitting under oath that he acted alone, we believe it is appropriate for the Court to take a fresh look at whether continuing to hold and prosecute Mr. Ritter on this charge is justified."
The defense has filed motions asking the Court to dismiss the charges or, at a minimum, set a reasonable bond for Mr. Ritter while the case is reevaluated. Mr. Ritter has been detained since May 29, 2024, and continues to plead not guilty to all charges. He remains presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The next hearing in Mr. Ritter's case will be held October 7, 2025.
About the Case
Michael Ritter was arrested in May 2024 and charged in Payne County District Court (Case No. CF-2024-184) with First Degree Murder, Operating a Chop Shop, and Desecration of a Human Corpse. He is represented by Aaron W. Easton of Easton Cohen, PLLC in Oklahoma City and Morgan Maxey of Maxey Law in Vinita, Oklahoma.
Media Contact
Aaron Easton, Easton Cohen Law, 1 (405) 600-9245, [email protected]
SOURCE Easton Cohen Law
Share this article