KINGSTON, Okla. — A 37-year-old man faces a recommended life sentence plus 10 years in state prison after a Marshall County jury found him guilty of second-degree murder and firearm possession in the 2025 fatal shooting of a Kingston resident, state investigators announced.

Christopher Bridenthal, 37, was convicted on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, of Second-Degree Murder and Possession of a Firearm After Felony Conviction following a trial in Marshall County. The jury recommended a life sentence for the murder charge and the statutory maximum of 10 years for the firearm offense.

June 2025 Shooting and Initial Arrest

The incident occurred shortly before 9:30 p.m. on June 28, 2025, when the Marshall County dispatch center received a 911 call reporting a shooting at a residence in the 14000 block of Texoma Christian Camp Road in Kingston.

Responding deputies arrived at the scene and located 42-year-old Donald Cole deceased from an apparent gunshot wound. Due to the nature of the crime, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI).

OSBI Investigation and Second-Degree Murder Charge

OSBI special agents conducted witness interviews and processed forensic evidence at the scene, identifying Bridenthal as the individual who shot Cole.

On the night of the shooting, officers arrested Bridenthal on an initial charge of Possession of a Firearm After Felony Conviction, and he was booked into the Marshall County Jail. Following a comprehensive investigation, OSBI agents submitted their complete investigative findings to the Marshall County District Attorney’s Office.

Based on the evidence collected, prosecutors formally charged Bridenthal with Second-Degree Murder on November 10, 2025, leading to his trial and conviction.