State Representative Tim Turner (R-Kinta)
OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Tim Turner, R-Kinta, will participate this week in a memorial sign unveiling honoring the lives of state Trooper William “Bill” Walker and Park Superintendent T. Leo Newton. The initial ceremony will be held at 10:30 a.m. March 27 at Fountainhead State Park Airport. Participants will then caravan to the spot where the sign will be permanently located, on State Highway 150 at the intersection of North 4150 Road in McIntosh County, near the Newton family home. A lunch will follow at the FAIC Fire Department, sponsored by Billy Inhofe.
Walker and Newton were shot and killed Feb. 17, 1971, during an attempted arrest of two men at Fountainhead State Park Lodge. Both men were 35 years old when killed. State Game Warden W.L. Pickens was wounded in the gunfight. According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the event led to one of the state’s largest manhunts at the time. The men who shot Walker, Newton and Pickens were apprehended and sentenced to life in prison but were later released.
“These men died trying to protect the public,” Turner said. “There is no greater sacrifice than being willing to lay down your life in place of another. This sign honoring their dedication and their memories has been a long time coming. I’m honored to be part of making sure their families and the public knows their lives and legacies are not forgotten.”
Walker served in the Oklahoma Highway Patrol for four years. He was a veteran of the United States Navy. He is survived by his wife, two sons, one brother and two sisters. He is buried in Greenlawn Cemetery in Checotah.
According to news reports, Newton served as superintendent for Fountainhead State Park for three years. He was born in Checotah and was a member of Meeker Masonic Lodge and Checotah Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Survivors include his wife, two sons, his parents, two brothers and a sister.
A memorial to the two men exists at what is now Eufaula State Park in Checotah.
Rep. Tim Turner, a Republican, represents House District 15 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes Haskell County and portions of McIntosh, Muskogee, Le Flore and Pittsburg counties.
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