Oklahoma prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against a 24-year-old man accused of fatally stabbing an 18-year-old 7-Eleven clerk and young mother during a late-night robbery in Oklahoma City.
Anthony Gonzalez is charged with first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon in the killing of Jaedynn Anthony, who was working the graveyard shift alone at a 7-Eleven in October 2024. Authorities say Gonzalez took less than $40 from the store’s cash register before stabbing Anthony and fleeing on foot.
“After he had the money in hand, Gonzalez stabbed Jaedynn one time and left the store,” the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release. “When police arrived at 2:45 a.m., they found Jaedynn dead.” The office added that “Anthony left the store with less than $40.”
Police said customers later entered the convenience store and found Anthony “in medical distress” and dying. “It was learned an unknown person entered the store, and for whatever reason stabbed Ms. Anthony before fleeing on foot,” officers reported at the time.
Investigators say surveillance video captured Gonzalez entering the store, greeting Anthony, and pretending to browse before approaching the counter. According to police, Gonzalez ordered Anthony to open the cash register and stabbed her “once the till was open.”
“She said hi to him, and he said hi to her when he came in the door,” Anthony’s cousin, Somer Goodgion, told KWTV. “The audacity the man had to say hi to her knowing what you’re about to do this young baby.”
Gonzalez allegedly evaded capture for several days before being arrested by Oklahoma City Police and members of a U.S. Marshals task force.
Following his arrest, Goodgion expressed anger and grief over the killing. “I hope you die in horrible pain,” she told KWTV. “As you’re dying I hope you see my cousin’s face and you see her son’s face, and what you’ve taken from her.”
Anthony, described by relatives as a “bright light,” was the mother of a 1-year-old son named Brayden. A GoFundMe campaign launched to support her family highlights the challenges she faced while working overnight shifts. Goodgion told KWTV that Anthony was “not allowed to have” a phone at work and relied only on pepper spray for protection. “What do you give these people to protect themselves?” he asked.
In announcing its decision, the district attorney’s office said it is seeking capital punishment because the killing was “especially heinous” and “cruel,” which it identified as aggravating circumstances under Oklahoma law.
“Our office treats the decision to seek the death penalty with the utmost seriousness,” District Attorney Vicki Zemp Behenna said. “It is never made lightly and never made in haste. This determination is based on a careful review of the facts, the law, and extensive discussion with experienced prosecutors in my office. Based on that process and the evidence in this case, we believe seeking the death penalty is appropriate.”
Gonzalez has been bound over for trial following a preliminary hearing. He remains in custody on a $10 million bond, with his next court appearance scheduled for April 1.
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