Arrest Made in McIntosh County Murder Case

A McIntosh County sheriff's detective and OSBI agent arrested a suspect in a year old homicide case Thursday morning.

Steven Lee Vanzant, 53, was arrested in the murder of 57-year-old Deborah Kathryn Kelso. Kelso was found dead inside her home near Checotah on August 14, 2012. Vanzant is accused of shooting Kelso in the head and then setting her home on fire. Vanzant and Kelso lived together for many years.

8/14/2012 Related Story: Body Found In Burned-Out Home In McIntosh County

For the past year the McIntosh County Sheriff's Office, OSBI, Okfuskee County District Attorney's Office, Okemah Police Department, Checotah Police Department, and State Fire Marshal's Office worked to build a murder case.

Vanzant was arrested at a friend's home four miles northwest of Okemah at approximately 11 o'clock Thursday morning. He was booked into the McIntosh County Criminal Justice Center on first degree murder. Vanzant's bond is set at $2,000,000.