Traci Laura Soderstrom, 50, of Chandler, Lincoln County, Oklahoma, United States is a former district judge in Lincoln County. Aside from Chandler, she has lived in other parts of Oklahoma including Ada, Davenport, Del City, Elmore City, Fitzhugh and Oklahoma City.
Also from Oklahoma are Khristian Tyler Martzall, 33, and his former girlfriend Judith Cheyann Danker, 23. He was convicted of the murder of her son Braxton Danker.
Khristian Tyler Martzall
In 2016, Judith gave birth to Braxton. On the evening of May 13, 2018, he was taken to Integris Hospital in Edmond, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma where he was pronounced dead.
On May 18, 2018, Martzall was arrested in Jones, Oklahoma County and booked into the Lincoln County Jail in Chandler. He was charged with murder, which was later reduced to enabling child abuse.
Judith was charged in Lincoln County District Court with first-degree murder, which was later reduced to enabling child abuse. On April 16, 2019, she pleaded guilty to the amended charge and was sentenced to 25 years by Judge Cindy Ashwood.
In January 2023, the charge against Martzall was amended back to first-degree murder. On June 15, 2023, he was convicted of second-degree manslaughter and sentenced to time served.
Traci Soderstrom
In November 2022, Soderstrom was elected as the judge of the Lincoln County District Court in Chandler. On January 9, 2023, she was sworn in. Her term was supposed to end in January 2027.
In June 2023, Sodestrom was assigned to the murder trial of Martzall at the Lincoln County District Court in the killing of Braxton. It was the first murder trial she was assigned to.
The trial lasted for seven days. During this period, Sodestrom sent more than 500 texts to her female bailiff including messages calling a key witness a liar, mocking the prosecutor, comparing prosecutors’ genitals and praising the defense attorney.
On October 10, 2023, Oklahoma Supreme Court chief justice John Kane IV recommended that Soderstrom be removed. He accused her of gross neglect of duty, gross partiality in office and oppression in office.
That day, Soderstrom was suspended without pay. She was scheduled to go on trial in a special court starting February 12, 2024.
However, on February 8, 2024, Soderstrom filed a settlement agreement with the Oklahoma Court on the Judiciary. She agreed to resigned on February 9, 2024.
Tracy Schumacher of the Schumacher Law Group represented Soderstrom. The latter agreed to never again seek a judicial office in Oklahoma.
CONAN Daily 