Oklahoma ‘Cathouse' slayings suspect planned shootings, witness says

Karine Sanders testified in Oklahoma County District Court on the second day of a preliminary hearing for Denny Edward Phillips, 34, who is charged with killing drug dealer Casey Mark Barrientos and three others. Among the victims was Brooke Phillips, who had worked for a legal Nevada brothel featured on HBO. Brooke Phillips was not related to Denny Phillips.

Sanders said Phillips and a second man, David Allen Tyner, planned to kill Barrientos, 32, because they were not happy about the amount of money they received from him.

“They were going to kill Casey and anybody who was in the house,” Sanders testified. “I almost felt threatened by it.”

Investigators say Barrientos ran a drug and prostitution ring out of the south Oklahoma City house where the victims were killed. Denny Phillips and Tyner, 31, allegedly were involved in illegal drug sales with Barrientos.

Sanders said she dated Denny Phillips during the summer of 2009 and that they frequently visited the house.

“It was like a party house,” she said. “A lot of strippers. A lot of drugs. A lot of drinking.”

She said there was also a lot of money lying around and that many who visited the house were armed.

Denny Phillips faces six counts of murder because Brooke Phillips, 22, and Milagros Barrera, 22, were pregnant when they were killed. All of the victims, including Barrientos and Jennifer Ermey, 25, were shot and stabbed and their bodies were set on fire.