Former deputy withdraws plea change, sentenced to life in prison for wife's death
CANADIAN COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) – A former Cleveland County deputy will spend the rest of his life in prison for the murder of his wife. Vaughn Cannon was in a Canadian County courtroom Tuesday, and was expected to ask Judge Paul Hesse to allow him to enter a not guilty plea but changed his mind.
Cannon was sentenced in December to life in prison without parole for the 2023 shooting death of his wife, fellow Cleveland County deputy, Jordan Pyle.
Cannon initially entered a not guilty plea after he was arrested for killing Pyle at their home. In September, he switched his plea to guilty. Before a 10-day deadline expired after his sentencing in December, Cannon sent a letter to Judge Hesse asking to change his guilty plea. However, standing before the judge on Tuesday, he withdrew his decision.
Pyle’s father, Rusty Pyle, was seated in the courtroom next to nearly a dozen family members. Many were seen wearing a purple ribbon and buttons with Pyle’s picture.
"Our family has been put through hell,” said Rusty. “Just to put it plainly, and we're tired. We're just tired."
He said the family feared the worst when Cannon asked the judge to allow his guilty plea be changed.
"We were looking at, you know, maybe as much as two or three years down the road before this was done,” said Rusty. "We had anticipated this just being one more step in the step of many to come. And we were kind of shocked that just all of a sudden he decided to withdraw his request, you know, to change his plea."
If Cannon decides to continue the court process in the future, he could enter a post-conviction appeal, but Canadian County Attorney Austin Murrey said that was something that was rarely granted.
The Oklahoma Survivors Act was also mentioned during the court hearing. Cannon’s attorney said she made her client aware of the new law which allows domestic abuse survivors the possibility of a resentencing if they can provide evidence that abuse played a role in the crime committed. Murrey said there was never any evidence shown that Pyle abused Cannon.
Rusty said Tuesday’s decision finally brought relief to the family in what has been a trying and troubling year and a half.
"We maybe we can relax a little bit now. We can't be happy because of the circumstances, but there is a little bit of closure there," said Rusty.
Cannon will now be transferred to the state Department of Corrections.