A first degree murder charge and two other felonies have been filed in connection with the disappearance of a man who disappeared more than two years ago in Pottawatomie County.
Jason Dean Cornett, 44, was charged in Pottawatomie County District Court March 16 with first degree murder–malice aforethought, unlawful removal of a dead body and desecration of a human corpse.
Also charged are Cornett’s wife Elizabeth Dee Cornett and Jordan Treaster, reportedly Jason Cornett’s nephew.
Elizabeth Cornett, 45, was charged in March 17 in Pottawatomie County District with accessory to first degree murder and desecration of a human corpse.
Treaster, 18, also was charged March 17 in Pottawatomie County District with accessory to first degree murder and desecration of a human corpse.
A courthouse official confirmed that Jason Cornett and Elizabeth Cornett are both being held without bond in the Pottawatomie County Public Safety Center in Shawnee.
Treaster has not been arrested yet, the official stated.
Pre-preliminary hearings for Jason Cornett and Elizabeth Cornett are scheduled for 1:30 p.m. April 18.
The first degree murder charge against Jason Cornett accuses him between Jan. 16, 2021 and Jan. 17, 2021, at 21 Walker Lane, Shawnee in Pottawatomie County of causing the death of David Orr by deliberately shooting Orr with a firearm.
In Count 2 against Jason Cornett, he is charged with unlawful removal of a dead body by between Jan. 16 and 17 of 2021 of removing the body of Orr from its original location site at 21 Walker Lane, Shawnee in Pottawatomie County to a different location without authorization of the law.
The third felony against Jason Cornett, desecration of human corpse, accuses him of between those same dates of desecrating the human corpse of Orr by burning his body for the purpose of disrupting, prohibiting or interfering with law enforcement agencies in detecting, investigating, examining, identifying or processing the body, determining the cause of death, the scene where the body is found, for any forensic examination.
Supplemental information filed by District Attorney Adam Panter shows that Jason Cornett has previously been convicted of several felonies in districts courts in Cleveland and Oklahoma Counties.
Elizabeth Cornett and Jordan Treaster are each charged with accessory to first degree murder by between Jan. 16 and 17, 2021, at 21 Walker Lane, acting conjointly and in concert with each other to aid Jason Cornett after he allegedly committed first degree murder of David Orr by assisting Cornett with burning the body of Orr with knowledge that Cornett caused Orr’s death and with the intent to aid him from facing punishment for the murder of Orr.
They are also accused of desecration of the human corpse of Orr by burning Orr’s body to prevent investigators from determining the cause of death, the scene where a body is found for any forensic examination.
Supplemental information filed by DA Adam Panter shows that Elizabeth Cornett has at least seven previous felony convictions. Two of those are in Lincoln County, three in Oklahoma County and one each in Cleveland and McLain Counties.
Several law enforcement agencies have been involved with this investigation.