A federal judge has sentenced Tracy Mannon to 60 years in prison for the brutal 2024 killing of her mother, Linda Barnes, in Wilburton. Investigators said that after stabbing Barnes to death, Mannon calmly washed dishes and admitted not only to the killing but also to planning to dismember the body.
The sentencing hearing was emotional, with three members of Mannon’s family delivering victim impact statements and urging the judge to impose the longest possible sentence. Barnes’ loved ones described her as someone whose presence brought joy to every room.
“She was the life of the party,” said Melissa Junell, Barnes’ daughter and Mannon’s sister. “She was fun. She was full of life. She was 75 years old when her life was brutally taken from her. But she was full of life. She still was game night, she would fight and fuss with us, argue over rules, and try to cheat. That’s just who she was. And so much fun.”
Investigators said Mannon showed no remorse when she confessed to stabbing her mother. Family members said this tragedy might have been prevented. A year earlier, Mannon had been charged in Muskogee County with strangling her daughter using a rope, according to local CBS affiliate KOTV.
That case was dismissed following the Supreme Court’s ruling on tribal jurisdiction, and neither federal nor tribal prosecutors pursued it. Junell said the failure to act left her mother vulnerable. “I feel like the justice system has failed in Tracy’s cases before,” she said. “But it did not fail us today. And I am so thankful justice was served.”
During the hearing, Mannon told the judge she now understands how to manage her mental health and accepts responsibility for her actions. Junell, however, said she does not believe her sister has changed. “She turned on a little bit of tears in her statement, she said she blamed mental illness in her statement,” Junell said.
“She said that if she gets out, she would take her meds and be responsible. She said that she’s learned her lesson, which I don’t believe any of.” Junell said delivering her statement felt like speaking on behalf of her mother. “I felt like I had to beg the judge for justice,” she said. “And I begged her, please don’t let her get by with this.”
While the court proceedings have ended, Junell said the grief will remain. “I think her spirit was here, and I know that she loves her daughter,” she said. “I know that she loves Tracy. But there is a measure of right and wrong. And today, the atrocious wrong that was committed against my mother by her own daughter, it was avenged.”
She thanked the community for its support and said she wants her mother to be remembered for her strength. “She was just an amazing person,” Junell said. “And I don’t want her remembered as a victim because she was a victor.” The federal public defender’s office had requested a 15-year sentence for Mannon, citing mental health concerns. It is not yet known whether they plan to appeal.
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