Federal Judge Sentences James Buzzard to life plus 20 years for 2019 revenge murder in Northeast Oklahoma
- Dennis McCaslin
- May 3, 2025
- 2 min read
On April 30, 2025, a federal judge in Tulsa sentenced James Buzzard, 54, to life in prison plus an additional 20 years for the brutal 2019 revenge murder of Jerry Tapp and the shooting of Tapp’s girlfriend in northeast Oklahoma.
The sentencing marks the final chapter in a case that has lingered in the courts for years, bringing closure to a community shaken by the violent crime. Buzzard was convicted of first-degree murder in Indian Country, assault with a dangerous weapon, and discharge of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
The crime, described by prosecutors as a “cold-blooded act of retaliation,” stemmed from a 2015 shooting incident involving Tapp. Investigators say Buzzard, along with his two sons, Dakota Buzzard, 28, and Cody Buzzard, 26, orchestrated the murder to settle the score.
Delaware County Sheriff’s deputies discovered Tapp, 48, dead in his front yard in Grove, Oklahoma, on July 10, 2019, riddled with multiple gunshot wounds. Tapp’s girlfriend, whose identity has not been publicly disclosed, was shot in the arm but survived the attack.
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Court documents and trial testimony revealed that the motive for Tapp’s murder traced back to a 2015 altercation, though specific details of the earlier shooting remain limited in public records. Prosecutors argued that Buzzard harbored a grudge against Tapp, believing him responsible for the prior incident.
Over the years, this resentment festered, culminating in a coordinated attack in 2019. The trio—James, Dakota, and Cody Buzzard—planned the assault, arming themselves and targeting Tapp at his home in Delaware County, within the boundaries of Indian Country, which placed the case under federal jurisdiction due to the Major Crimes Act.
On the night of the murder, the Buzzards ambushed Tapp, shooting him multiple times in a barrage that left him dead on his lawn. Tapp’s girlfriend, caught in the crossfire, sustained a gunshot wound to her arm but managed to survive, later providing critical testimony against the suspects.
James Buzzard, the patriarch, was described in court as the mastermind behind the murder.
A resident of Joplin, Buzzard had a history of run-ins with the law. In a separate 2018 incident, he was caught by an off-duty deputy attempting to steal a walnut tree in Jasper County, Missouri.
During the murder trial, prosecutors painted Buzzard as a vengeful figure who enlisted his sons to carry out the deadly plan.
Dakota and Cody Buzzard, both in their 20s at the time of the crime, played active roles in the killing. Unlike their father, the brothers opted to plead guilty to lesser charges related to the murder, avoiding a full trial. In November 2023,
Dakota and Cody were sentenced for their involvement, though specific details of their sentences—such as the length of imprisonment—were not disclosed in available records. Their cooperation with authorities may have contributed to the case against their father, who maintained his innocence until the jury’s verdict.
No parole is available in the federal system, making the sentence effectively permanent.
Tapp’s family, present in the courtroom, declined to speak publicly but issued a written statement through their attorney: “We are grateful for the hard work of law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. While nothing can bring Jerry back, we hope this sentencing brings some measure of peace.”
