The Murder of Rhonda Oakley
For this case, I watched an episode of See No Evil. It’s season 8 episode 5, titled ‘Cruel Love.’
A 13-year-old boy finds his step-mom dead in their home.
Background
Rhonda and Phillip Oakley, both divorcees, met, fell in love, and got married. Phillip had two teenagers, Jenna and David, and Rhonda had four children of her own.
Rhonda was described as bubbly, and as someone who captured attention as soon as she walked in a room. Phillip’s mom, Diana, also said Rhonda had a big heart.
Shortly before the murder, Jenna and David moved from Indiana to Danville, Kentucky, to live with Rhonda and Phillip.
Rhonda Oakley
Phillip and Rhonda Oakley
The Crime Scene
On September 1, 2016, David returned home from school around 4pm. He said he was doing the dishes, when he heard the dogs barking, and scratching at a door downstairs.
He walked down to the basement, and opened the door to the spare bedroom, and made a horrific discovery. Rhonda was lying on her back on the floor, in a pool of blood. There was a black plastic bag and duct tape around her face and mouth. It was apparent that she had been stabbed multiple times.
David ran over to a neighbor’s house, and called 911, and his dad. Phillip said David was crying so hard, and hyperventilating. When he arrived home, there were already police cars in the driveway.
A Missing Teen
There was no sign of forced entry. But, there was a knife missing from the knife block in the kitchen. It was obvious to the police that it was a personal attack.
The police soon realized that Jenna Oakley, Rhonda’s 15-year-old step-daughter was missing. The police searched her bedroom which was also down in the basement. In the trash can, the police found vomit.
The police asked Phillip if he knew where Jenna was. He said no, but that he received a call from her school that she didn’t go in that day.
While the police were speaking to Phillip, he realized that Rhonda’s white Honda Civic was missing from the driveway. The police didn't know at this point whether or not Jenna was a victim or involved in her step-mother’s death.
A Forbidden Love
The police canvassed the surrounding area. While they didn’t find any surveillance cameras, they did find a neighbor who had information.
The police spoke to the neighbor, who spoke to David after he discovered Rhonda. She told them that Rhonda had been having problems with Jenna. Jenna had been seeing a 20-year-old man named Kenneth Nigh.
Phillip was questioned about Kenneth. He said that Jenna was crazy about Kenneth, but that he and Rhonda didn’t approve.
Phillip said that he and Rhonda took away all of Jenna’s electronics, and told Kenneth to never contact Jenna again. Phillip said he was nervous that Kenneth would come back to take Jenna away, or to hurt him or Rhonda.
The Boyfriend
The police now had a potential suspect. They did some digging, and discovered that Kenneth had been released from the Army on August 31, 2016, after purposely failing his physical testing. He had been stationed in Fort Carson, Colorado.
On August 31, Kenneth was taken to the airport, and planned to return to Indiana. However, he changed his itinerary, and flew to Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky.
The police contacted the airport, and were able to obtain the surveillance footage. Kenneth can be seen on camera, wearing a black t-shirt, that read ‘raised to like,’ and jeans. He was also carrying a backpack, and duffel bag.
After the police released information to the public about Kenneth, Jenna, and Rhonda’s missing Honda Civic, an Uber driver came forward. He told the police that he had picked Kenneth up from the airport around 3-4pm on August 31, and dropped him off near a house on Hustonville Road.
The police asked him about his interaction with Kenneth. Kenneth had made small talk about he had just been released from the Army. Kenneth had suddenly asked him to drop him off, and said he “wanted to surprise her.” He was last seen walking in the direction of the Oakley home.
Who’s in Charge?
Another tip came in from a witness who had seen Jenna at the Danville Walmart on September 1.
Once again, the police obtained the surveillance footage. Rhonda’s Honda Civic can be seen pulling into the parking lot. Two individuals, one male, and one female walk inside. Kenneth was identified by his t-shirt that read ‘raised to like,’ which he had been wearing the previous day, and Jenna was positively identified as the female.
The police made a startling revelation while watching the two of them walk in. Jenna reached out to touch Kenneth on the arm. She’s also walking in front of him, almost like she was in charge.
Kenneth and Jenna spoke to an employee, grabbed a phone charger, and paid for it. They the walk back to the car, and disappeared.
The police now believed that Jenna was not there against her will, but they still didn’t know what her role was in Rhonda’s death.
Going on the Run
The police were able to put a tracker on Kenneth’s phone. While they were tracking him, they learned that Kenneth was turning his phone on and off. The police were able to track them, but they were always 30 minutes to an hour behind.
Meanwhile, the police continued to speak to Phillip and David. Phillip said it made him physically sick when he saw the video of Jenna and Kenneth at Walmart.
He did tell the police that shortly before the murder, Rhonda had found Jenna’s journal one day, while she was doing laundry. Inside, was a plan to kill her, Phillip, and David, the plan listed out these steps:
-Need to kill Phillip first (between 4 am - 5 am)
-2 knives prepared, with me
-Kill David last
-Kill Rhonda 2nd (6 am - 8 am)
-Kill David in his room
-Ask Phillip to go downstairs real quick, then as we are going down, slice his neck in the front
-Walk into Rhonda’s bedroom and stab her
-Stab David in his bed”
She also wrote that she hated them, but that “they’ll be dead soon thankfully.”
The Arrests
On September 3, the police contacted the Tucumcari, New Mexico police. The police were able to find Rhonda’s white Honda Civic, at the location where Kenneth’s phone was pinging.
A Honda Civic with Kentucky plates, and two individuals inside was located. The police walked towards the car, when suddenly it started up again.
Before they could leave, the two were arrested. Kenneth admitted that the car was Rhonda’s. He was taken to the local county jail, while Jenna was taken to a local juvenile detention center.
On September 5, 2016, Kenneth tried to hang himself in his cell. He was alive when he was found, but eventually succumbed to his injuries. He left behind note, that said he was the only one involved in Rhonda’s death. He said Jenna wasn’t involved, and hadn’t even been inside the home at the time.
Jenna Oakley and Kenneth Nigh
Jenna’s Confession
Jenna was extradited back to Kentucky, and was given the chance to tell her side of the story.
Jenna said she had been holding stuff in for awhile, and on August 31, she “hit her breaking point.” Jenna said that Kenneth wasn’t supposed to be there, but she stayed home from school that day. Jenna said she grabbed a knife from the kitchen, and that they were in her room when Rhonda came home.
Rhonda walked down into the basement to do laundry. Rhonda asked Jenna why she was home, and she said she decided to stay home. Jenna said “she was getting ready to say something smart to me," which made her mad.
Jenna and Kenneth, who had been hiding in the closet, choked Rhonda, until she became unconscious. Next, they dragged her to the spare room. Jenna put a bag over her head, and duct tape over her mouth. Jenna then stabbed Rhonda several times, until “the knife went through.”
Jenna said she and Kenneth then fled, went to Walmart, and to a gas station. Jenna discarded the knife at the gas station, but couldn’t remember which one.
The police were stunned by Jenna’s cold and callous behavior.
The Conviction
In October 2016, due to the conflicting confessions, Jenna was charged with complicity to commit murder, and theft.
Phillip called Jenna in jail, while she was awaiting trial. He asked her why it had to happen. Jenna asked him what he wanted, and Phillip told her he wanted his wife back.
On March 27, 2019, Jenna was sentenced to 10 years for first degree manslaughter, plus 5 years for theft.
Phillip said Jenna is still his daughter, but that her sentence is not long enough. Phillip said this to his daughter at her sentencing:
“You didn’t have the right to do what you did,” “You agreed to a 10-year sentence for taking her life and five years for stealing her car. Myself, your brother, Rhonda’s children, Rhonda’s friends, we got a life sentence.””
Jenna at her sentencing
FINAL THOUGHTS
This case is horrific, as they all are. It didn’t appear like Jenna had a care in the world for what she did to Rhonda. Not only what she did to Rhonda, but what she did to her dad and brother, too.
I believe if Phillip and David were home that day, they could have been killed too. I always have conflicting opinions, when it comes to juveniles and long sentences. However, Jenna just appears cold, and she had planned this for quite awhile. It was not a spur of the moment incident, it was premeditated.
Sources
https://www.wtvq.com/father-not-happy-plea-deal-wifes-murder-case/
https://metro.co.uk/2019/03/28/dad-washes-hands-monster-daughter-killed-stepmother-15-9044367/
