Web-posted
Wednesday, November 5, 2003
Web posted
Tuesday, November 2, 1999
7:42 a.m. CT
Keesee pleads guilty to federal charges in skyjacking of businessman's plane
PHOENIX (AP) - An ex-con from Albuquerque will spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty Monday to attempted air piracy and other charges in the slaying of a Lake Havasu City businessman.
Bobby Joe Keesee, 65, formerly of Amarillo, will serve two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of release under any circumstances, said Cathy Colbert, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Phoenix.
Keesee pleaded guilty to five charges, including attempted air piracy and discharge of a firearm in an act of violence causing death by murder. The firearms charge stems directly from the slaying of Harry Christensen, 48, a power boat racer and businessman.
Authorities said Keesee admitted shooting Christensen twice in the chest and once in the head on Jan. 6 at the Lake Havasu City airport and then flying to Albuquerque in Christensen's plane.
Keesee later dumped the body in a remote area in New Mexico.
Christensen's blood-soaked airplane was found at an Albuquerque airport. He had met Keesee at the Lake Havasu airport to let him test-fly his airplane.
The plane landed in Albuquerque, but Keesee was later seen leaving alone. Christensen's body was found by a New Mexico rancher in May.
Keesee is expected to be sentenced Jan. 24 before Judge Roger Strand.