Oklahoma County prosecutors will pursue the death penalty against Anthony Gonzalez, 24, accused of fatally stabbing 7-Eleven clerk Jaedynn Anthony during an overnight robbery on Oct. 18, 2024, officials said this week. Anthony, an 18-year-old new mother working alone on the graveyard shift, was found mortally wounded inside the store and died at the scene.
District Attorney Vicki Behenna said her office filed a notice of intent to seek capital punishment based on alleged aggravating factors, including that the killing was especially heinous or cruel and committed to avoid arrest. The case returns to court this spring for formal arraignment. Gonzalez has been held on $10 million bond since his arrest in October 2024. The filing elevates the stakes in a killing that rattled overnight workers and drew widespread attention after investigators said the robber greeted the clerk at the counter, took money, and then stabbed her before walking out with less than $40.
Police were called around 2:45 a.m. to the 7-Eleven at Wilshire Boulevard and Council Road, where a passerby reported a clerk in medical distress. Officers found Anthony behind the counter with a stab wound. Homicide detectives secured the store, pulled surveillance video and canvassed the area for witnesses and cameras. The footage, summarized in court records, shows a man entering, exchanging a brief greeting, making what appears to be a small purchase, and waiting as the register opened. After grabbing cash, the assailant stabbed Anthony once and left on foot, according to investigators.
Within days, the Oklahoma City Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service announced the arrest of Gonzalez, then 23, at a northwest Oklahoma City address. He was booked into the county jail on complaints of first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon. A judge set bond at $10 million. In early 2025, defense attorneys requested a competency evaluation; later filings indicate the case proceeded while medical and forensic reports were added to the record. Prosecutors now argue the statutory aggravators apply and that a jury should consider the death penalty if Gonzalez is convicted.
Court filings say Anthony, who had a 1-year-old son, was working alone during the overnight shift. Investigators later told the court that the suspect left the store with less than $40. Detectives recovered store video, photographs of the scene and physical evidence. The district attorney’s notice cites surveillance, witness statements and autopsy findings among materials turned over in discovery. Officials have not publicly described the knife used or whether it was recovered. Police have not reported additional suspects and say no one else is charged in connection with the robbery.
Anthony’s killing came amid a series of late-night retail crimes that heightened safety concerns for clerks working solo. In Oklahoma City, convenience stores dot the corridors leading to the northwest side, and the Wilshire–Council corner serves nearby neighborhoods and commuters. After the homicide, detectives and crime-scene technicians spent hours inside the store, photographing the counter area and packaging items for lab testing while patrol units held a perimeter. The employer offered a reward during the initial search for the attacker; family members organized a fundraiser for Anthony’s young son as memorials appeared outside the storefront.
Prosecutors’ capital notice outlines three aggravating factors they intend to prove: that the killing was especially heinous, atrocious or cruel; that it was committed to avoid or prevent a lawful arrest or prosecution; and that Gonzalez poses a continuing threat to society. The defense has not publicly responded to the filing. Under Oklahoma law, a death-penalty case proceeds in 2 phases if a jury returns a guilty verdict: a penalty phase where jurors weigh aggravators against mitigating evidence. The court has scheduled a formal arraignment for April 1. Additional pretrial motions on evidence, jury selection and venue typically follow in capital litigation.
The investigative record describes a straightforward timeline: a brief interaction at the counter, a theft of cash, a single stab wound, and a departure on foot. Detectives canvassed nearby businesses for exterior video and checked license-plate readers to see if a vehicle could be tied to the sequence, according to summaries filed in court. The arrest came after investigators released images and worked tips with federal partners. Authorities have not suggested any prior relationship between the victim and suspect beyond the store encounter depicted on video.
Anthony’s relatives said she had recently moved into her own place and was balancing work with caring for her toddler. Friends described her as quiet, helpful and eager to save money for classes. Notes posted outside the store in the days after her death included drawings from neighborhood children and taped photos from family gatherings. Colleagues from nearby shops recalled seeing officers escort employees out as the store was sealed, with evidence placards on the floor near the counter and coolers.
Capital cases in Oklahoma require a series of procedural steps that can extend timelines. After arraignment, the court typically sets deadlines for discovery, expert notices and motions; the parties may litigate admissibility of surveillance, statements and forensic opinions in pretrial hearings. If the case reaches trial and a jury convicts on first-degree murder, jurors would then consider punishment, including life, life without parole or death. Appeals in capital matters are automatic. Prosecutors said they would release further updates through the court docket; the police department said no additional suspects are being sought.
As of Wednesday, Gonzalez remained in the Oklahoma County jail pending the April 1 arraignment. The district attorney’s office said victims’ advocates are working with Anthony’s family as the case advances. Officials said additional filings will outline the state’s evidence list and any expert testimony expected at trial.
Author note: Last updated January 29, 2026.