Palma Was Found Guilty Of Violent Assault Years Before MWC Disappearance

Kirsten Hatfield was just 8 years old when she vanished from her bedroom in the middle of the night.

Wednesday, October 14th 2015, 10:24 pm

By: News 9


Kirsten Hatfield was just 8 years old when she vanished from her bedroom in the middle of the night.

Now, News 9 looked into 91 pages of court documents from Anthony Palma's '80s assault conviction, the same man arrested Monday in connection to her abduction.

10/14/2015 Related Story: OSBI Lab Director Talks About DNA Match In 1997 Missing Girl Case

They reveal a violent past.

In 1982, a jury found Palma, 56, guilty of first degree burglary and assault and battery with dangerous weapon.

Wednesday night, he remains in the Oklahoma County jail facing more severe charges.

The date was February 4, 1982.

Court documents say on that day, Palma forced his way in through "an outer side door" of a Walters woman's home.

Once inside, he "struck, clubbed and beat" that woman with a "soft drink bottle."

The woman had severe wounds to her "head, face and body."

A month later, Palma was arrested for the crime.

But before he went to trial prosecutors requested a blood sample.

That's because a "blood stained shirt was located near the scene of the crime," evidence the prosecutor called "incriminating."

A jury made up of six men and six women found him guilty of breaking into the Walters woman's home and beating her.

For those convictions he was sentenced to 12 years at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester.

According to the state Department of Correction's record, Palma was only there 5 months.

Now, with DNA evidence linking Palma to Kirsten's disappearance, Midwest City investigators are looking at whether his violent past may have repeated itself.

News 9 spoke with that woman Wednesday.

She told News 9, since the conviction, she's kept tabs on Palma.

Palma's arrest Monday in connection with Kirsten Hatfield's abduction has her in shock.

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