The family of 33-year-old Jacob Washington says a backroom plea deal blindsided them and badly undercuts what they see as the horror of his killing, as the man accused of shooting him prepares to be sentenced next Thursday in Seminole County. Relatives describe Washington as a devoted father and hard-working framer and say a proposed agreement to cut a first-degree murder charge to second-degree with a 20-year recommendation does not come close to the violence laid out in court documents. The family also says it has asked federal officials to step in, noting that Washington was a member of the Seminole Nation.
Family Says Plea Came Without Notice
According to KJRH, relatives say they were never told prosecutors were moving toward a plea and that they "all said absolutely not" when they finally heard about the offer. Jacob's mother, Georgia Washington, told the station her son loved to work and to take care of his children and that the deal feels like a betrayal of his memory. The district attorney's office declined to comment ahead of the court date, KJRH reported.
Autopsy And Scene Details
FOX23 reports that Washington went missing in May 2023 and that investigators later found his truck and body in a wooded area along Oil Lease Road in Seminole County. According to the outlet, an autopsy listed his cause of death as eight gunshot wounds. Court records cited by FOX23 show prosecutors initially charged John Lawrence Nolte II with first-degree murder, but the case shifted toward a plea that would reduce the charge to second-degree murder with a 20-year prison recommendation.
How Investigators Linked The Suspects
Investigators arrested John Nolte II in Texas in 2024 and later took his son into custody as the case widened, according to KXII. The Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police posted updates as the probe unfolded. Prosecutors allege Nolte tortured Washington, shot him and dumped his body in a field, and that the younger Nolte tried to burn a barn to destroy evidence, KJRH reports.
What To Expect At The Hearing
Next Thursday's hearing gives a judge the power to accept or reject any plea deal, and Washington's family plans to pack the courtroom to object and demand answers, FOX23 reports. The station says relatives have also asked federal authorities to review the case under McGirt because Washington was a Seminole Nation member. Prosecutors argue the plea would secure crucial details about what happened the night Washington died, while family members insist that only a tougher sentence would reflect what they call the sheer brutality of the crime.
The sentencing is scheduled for Seminole County district court in Wewoka. Washington's relatives say they plan to be there, ready to speak and to push for a stiffer outcome. This story will be updated after the hearing and if the court rules on the plea.
