In the early morning hours of January 7, 2024, violence descended upon a legal marijuana grow site near Castle in rural Okfuskee County, Oklahoma, ending the life of 53-year-old Harry Dam. Responding to the scene at a property near State Highway 48 and East 1020 Road, deputies from the Okfuskee County Sheriff's Office made a grim discovery. They found Dam deceased, the victim of an apparent gunshot wound.
It was evident that a violent home invasion and robbery had taken place, with other individuals on the property having been physically assaulted.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation was called in to lead the homicide investigation. What initially appeared to be an isolated incident soon revealed itself to be part of a larger, more organized criminal operation. Investigators discovered a link between the robbery and homicide in Okfuskee County and a string of similar violent armed robberies targeting Asian-owned and operated legal marijuana farms in neighboring Stephens County. These robberies, which had been occurring for months, shared a similar mode of operation, indicating a coordinated effort.
A multi-agency investigation involving the OSBI, Stephens County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and law enforcement agencies in Texas began to unravel the criminal network. A significant breakthrough came on March 7, 2024, with the arrest of several suspects in Texas by a team of OSBI special agents, Texas Rangers, and local police departments. Among those apprehended were Yi Lee, 50, Justin Stewart, 31, Artist Stewart, 36, Ricky Harris, 45, and Timothy Evans, 29. Another suspect, Andre Dawson, 35, was arrested several days later. These individuals were initially charged in connection with a robbery in Stephens County that occurred on January 27.
Further investigation solidified the connection between the arrested individuals and the murder of Harry Dam. On April 24, 2024, authorities in Oklahoma City arrested four more suspects: Dillon Alexander Brown, 24, Isavier Dawkins, 18, Holland Jeremy Mason, 38, and Kayla Lanette Green, 23. These four, along with Yi Lee, who was identified as being involved in both the Stephens County and Okfuskee County incidents, were charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, and robbery with a dangerous weapon in connection with the death of Harry Dam. The investigation revealed a multi-state criminal operation with connections to Houston, Waco, Dallas, Oklahoma City, and New York. Authorities stated that the arrests have effectively halted the string of violent robberies that had plagued the region.
