Man convicted of killing college professor he met on dating website

Published 10:11 am Tuesday, June 2, 2015

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — He called himself “Big Daddy” in his online profiles used to meet women on Internet dating websites, and he loved to share a photo of himself in his “Captain Morgan pose,” but Friday afternoon, Joshua John Schneider could be called “Mr. Painful Truth,” according to First Assistant District Attorney Jack Thorp.

Schneider was found guilty by a Cherokee County jury of killing Northeastern State University professor Dr. Tiffany Maher in May of 2013, stealing many of her personal belongings, and setting fire to her house and body in what Thorp suggested was an attempt to hide Schneider’s crimes.

And when jurors heard, after their guilty verdicts, that Schneider had been convicted of multiple other felonies – including rape, possession of a stolen vehicle, and uttering a forged instrument – they gave him the maximum sentences allowed for each of the three latest charges: life without parole for murder, and a life sentence for each count of arson and larceny.

During his closing arguments, Thorp recalled to jurors a quote that he related to the case: “Life asked Death, ‘Why do people love me and hate you?’ Death replied, ‘Because you are a beautiful lie and I’m a painful truth.’”

“Dr. Tiffany Maher had gobs of education, was employed, had her own home, really liked cats – but the thing that was missing in her life was the love of a fellow. So she resorted to these websites,” Thorp said. “I’m sure that works quite often … but in this case, when she was looking for that beautiful lie, she came into contact, ladies and gentlemen, with the painful truth – a rabid killer.”

Thorp and District Attorney Brian Kuester told jurors that Schneider choked Maher until she died.

“His DNA is in Tiffany Maher’s car, his DNA is in her bed,” Thorp said. “He thought he burned her up; he thought law enforcement had no clue.”

But Thorp said the fires set in Maher’s home went out.

“[Schneider’s] running around on video selling her stuff. He doesn’t think anybody knows it was a murder.”

Schneider’s attorney, Crystal Jackson, spent the majority of her closing arguments telling jurors they should look not at Schneider, but at one of his ex-girlfriends, Heather Black, who was a key witness for the state. Jackson referred to Black as “the link” in the case that authorities ignored.

But Kuester begged jurors not to focus on the “pebbles” that Jackson had thrown out, but instead to consider the more than 400 pieces of evidence and some 40 witnesses put before them during the two-week trial.

“All of this evidence leads us to the conclusion that Joshua Schneider killed Tiffany Maher in her own home; he burned her, attempting to relieve himself of any criminal responsibility; [and] took her stuff,” Kuester said. “The evidence is clear… Joshua Schneider murdered Tiffany Maher.”

Jurors took 90 minutes to reach their guilty verdicts. Afterward, prosecutors informed the jury of Schneider’s past convictions.

Jackson asked the jurors not to give Schneider the maximum sentences, and urged them to consider that her client was about 19 years old when he received the past convictions.

Jurors deliberated for a short time before determining Schneider should serve the three life sentences, including one without the chance of parole.

District Judge Darrell Shepherd set formal sentencing for July.

Schneider, who appeared without emotion as the jurors’ decisions were announced in open court, was promptly handcuffed and escorted out of the courtroom and back to the Cherokee County Detention Center.

He will be returned to the state prison where he is currently serving time for other charges.

Newton writes for The Tahlequah (Okla.) Daily Press.