Men charged again in 2016 Matthew Fagan killing after remains identified
By Adam Roberts, DMM
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SEQUOYAH COUNTY, Oklahoma (KHBS, KHOG) — Three men accused of killing Matthew Fagan on a hiking trip in 2016 are facing charges a second time, according to the Sequoyah County sheriff.
Tyler Leverett, Charles Shamblin, and Michael Snelling are all facing charges in Fagan’s death.
Their charges were listed online as first-degree murder and accessory after the fact.
U.S. Marshals arrested Shamblin in Alamosa, Colorado, on Tuesday night.
This isn’t the first time Leverett, Shamblin, and Snelling have faced charges in Fagan’s death.
In June 2016, Fagan went hiking with the three men at Cato Creek, near Lake Tenkiller. He was reported missing when he didn’t return.
During the police investigation, Leverett and Shamblin told law enforcement that Snelling beat Fagan to death with a hammer. They said Snelling made them help get rid of the body, or he would kill their families next.
Snelling told investigators that Leverett was the one who beat Fagan to death and threatened their families so they would get rid of the body. He said that he and Shamblin had tried to stop Leverett.
The three were arrested and kept in jail for about a year.
However, charges were dismissed in 2017. The assistant district attorney said at the time it was due to a lack of evidence.
The confessions differed in some ways. One person said the body was dumped from a boat dock, another said the body was dumped in a nearby cove.
On Nov. 2, 2024, a hunter found a bone less than a half-mile from where the four had been hiking.
Investigators found more bones, 15 teeth, pants, and fabric.
In January 2026, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said DNA testing showed the remains belonged to Fagan.
On Apr. 28, 2026, charges were refiled against Leverett, Shamblin, and Snelling.
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