In the early morning hours of March 22, 2023, the life of 32-year-old Codie Edward King, a male resident of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, was tragically cut short. Inside a Bartlesville apartment, a violent confrontation unfolded that would end with King being fatally shot. The events of that night led to a swift law enforcement response and the eventual arrest of three individuals connected to the homicide.
The investigation revealed that two men, 18-year-old Colton Patch Tallchief and
35-year-old Joshua Brown, had gone to King's apartment with the intention of picking up a female acquaintance. An altercation broke out between Brown and King. According to court records, the dispute escalated to a physical struggle, during which King reportedly used a frying pan in an attempt to defend himself against Brown. It was at this moment that Tallchief, who had entered the apartment armed with a handgun, fired a single shot that struck Codie King in the chest, resulting in his death.
Following the shooting, an investigation was launched, leading to the identification and arrest of Tallchief, Brown, and a third individual, Amber King. The legal proceedings that followed took a complex path due to the jurisdictions involved. Because Colton Patch Tallchief is a member of the Osage Nation and the crime occurred within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation, his case was handled in federal court. In March 2024, Tallchief reached a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to a charge of voluntary manslaughter in Indian Country. He was subsequently sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role in the death of Codie King.
Joshua Brown faced charges in Washington County District Court. Initially charged with first-degree burglary and possession of a firearm after a felony conviction, Brown also entered into a plea agreement. In December 2023, the burglary charge was dismissed, and he pleaded guilty to the firearm charge. For this offense, he was sentenced to ten years in state prison. Amber King was also arrested and held on charges related to her involvement in the incident, as well as for a drug court warrant and bail jumping.
