March 18, 2026
Plea agreement shot down by judge in White Shield murder case
A federal judge shot down a plea agreement for a man facing numerous charges stemming from a 2024 murder case in White Shield.
According to the U.S. District Court Clerk’s office, Federal Judge Daniel M. Traynor rejected the plea deal presented during Derick Wilkinson’s change-of-plea hearing March 3.
The clerk’s office stated Traynor denied the deal under his discretion stating he was uncomfortable with the deal as it did not meet the consequences of Wilkinson’s actions in the case. The officer further noted Traynor asked for the court system to work with Tribal court on considering the death penalty as a possible sentence.