Man guilty in slaying of soldier BY MEGHAN MCCORMICK STAFF WRITER MMCCORMICK@LAWTON-CONSTITUTION.COM A Lawton man who was scheduled to stand trial later this month for his role in the 2006 homicide of a National Guard soldier has pleaded guilty to the crime. Derrick Maurice Koonce, 20, pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree murder, according to Comanche County court records. He was accused of killing Army 2nd Lt. Robert Eugene Hayes Jr., 27, on Feb. 25, 2006, at the BancFirst ATM at 3801 Cache Road. The soldier was shot three times during a robbery a little before 6 a.m. that day, police said. He was rushed by ambulance to a local hospital, where he later died during surgery. Six weeks later, Koonce, Shamika Wilson, 29, and Anika Getter, 19, were all arrested and charged in Comanche County District Court in connection to Hayes’ murder. Koonce was charged with first-degree murder and Wilson was charged with first-degree robbery. Prosecutors charged Getter with being an accessory after the fact. What happened The Lawton Police Department confirmed during its investigation that on the date of his death Hayes had visited Wilson’s home in the 2400 block of Northwest Lawton Avenue. While he was at the residence, Wilson, Getter and Koonce are accused of gathering at Getter’s home and conspiring to rob Hayes. As Hayes was sleeping at Wilson’s home, Koonce entered the house and forced the man at gunpoint to drive to the ATM, police said. Hayes was told to insert his ATM card into the machine and withdraw money. As he was removing money from the ATM, Hayes attempted to escape. Koonce shot Hayes at least three times, according to police. Hayes was a member of the Minnesota Army National Guard and was attending the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course at Fort Sill at the time of his death. Court records show that Getter will go on trial later this month and Wilson’s trial will begin in April. Sentencing set Koonce will be sentenced at 9:15 a.m. March 20 at the Comanche County Courthouse. He was remanded to the custody of the Comanche County Detention Center, according to court documents.