On Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022, convicted killer Scott Eizember appeared, by video, before the pardon and parole board to ask for clemency. It only took Eizember approximately three minutes to speak to the board but offered no excuses for his actions. The board denied the clemency with a vote of 3-2. Eizember has been sitting on death row for nearly 20 years for the brutal killings of AJ and Patsy Cantrell, from Depew.
In 2003, Eizember broke into AJ and Patsy Cantrell's home, in order to spy on his exgirlfriend who's mother, Carla Wright, lived across the street from the Cantrells. Eizember found A.J Cantrells shotgun and loaded it. Patsy Cantrell was shot and Eizember fatally beat AJ Cantrell with the shotgun. Eizember proceeded across the street to the exgirlfriends mother, Carla Wright's, home where he shot the exgirlfriends teenage son, Tyler Montgomery, and beat her mother with the same shotgun. The manhunt for Eizember lasted 37 days and he was sought by hundreds of officers. While in hiding Eizember stole food, clothing snd eventually a car. When the car ran out of gas, Eizember was offered a ride from a doctor and his wife. He then forced the couple at gunpoint to drive him to Texas. He beat the husband and tried to shoot the wife. The doctor pulled a gun and shot Eizember several times, which led to his capture. Eizember was convicted and sentenced to death for the killing of AJ Cantrell, age 76, and 150 years for the death of Patsy Cantrell, age 70, life for shooting the exgirlfriends teenage son, Tyler age 76, and 150 years for the death of Patsy Cantrell, age 70, life for shooting the exgirlfriends teenage son, Tyler Montgomery and 10 years for the beating of the girlfriends mother, Carla Wright.
Eizember, who is now 61, is being held at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAllister. His execution is scheduled for January 12, 2023. He will be put to death by lethal injection. This execution will be the eighth execution by lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitenitary since 2021.
After the decision of clemency denial, Oklahoma Representative Speaker Pro Tempore Kyle Hilbert, released the following statement: “The Pardon and Parole Board made the proper and just decision today in denying clemency to Scott Eizember.
For those of us who live and grew up in Creek County, we all remember where we were and what we were doing on October 18, 2003, when our entire world was turned upside down by the horrific crimes committed against Eizember's victims . For weeks we lived on edge as Eizember was on the run. The terror he inflicted back then reverberates even today.
Today, his defense attorneys attempted to blame the very victims of the crimes for the atrocities committed against them. Thankfully, when justice is served in January, the families will no longer have to listen to these despicable arguments.
I and many others will continue to pray for the Cantrell and Wright families as this awful chapter in their lives inches closer to an end.'