A federal jury has convicted Mose Adam Smith, a 43-year-old resident of Stilwell, Oklahoma, of voluntary manslaughter. The verdict is linked to an incident in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, which led to the death of an individual at the victim's residence in Sallisaw. This crime took place on the Cherokee Nation Reservation within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The trial, held in Muskogee, commenced on April 7, 2025, and concluded with Smith's conviction on April 10, 2025. He faces a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Evidence presented by the United States suggested that Smith unlawfully killed the victim during an altercation, causing blunt-force trauma and extensive injuries that resulted in the victim’s death. Following the incident, Smith fled the state in an attempt to conceal the crime.
In related proceedings, Kimberly Dawn Ball-Gilbert, age 42, also from Stilwell, admitted to aiding and abetting Smith's actions. She pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter on March 19, 2025.
The investigation leading to the convictions was jointly conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, the Grant County, Wisconsin Sheriff’s Office, and the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge, presided over the trial and has instructed that a presentence report be prepared. Sentencing for both Smith and Ball-Gilbert will proceed after the report's completion, with guidelines and statutory factors being considered.
Smith and Ball-Gilbert continue to be held by the United States Marshals until their sentencing. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick M. Flanigan and Lewis M. Reagan.