KANSAS: In 1970, 12-year-old Kelly Lynn Albright went missing and was found dead in a field in Reno County. Oklahoma Serial Killers. The newspaper has filed a lawsuit against the sheriff's office seeking body camera footage and other records connected to Barrick's death. The conversation began with the officials discussing a house fire that took place on March 2, which claimed the life of 43-year-old Dannette Stoewe. The category includes assaults, accidents and suicides. One Site. One Database In Oklahoma alone, there are over 700 people missing; over 100 unidentified; and over 1,000 homicide cases that are unsolved. Here at Oklahoma Cold Cases we do our best to share the stories of these victims. The common thread among this memorial and the accounts listed above is that journalists have, and will continue to face the ultimate repercussion for reporting on individuals abusing their power. All rights reserved. Girl, 2, Last Seen 'Asleep or Unconscious' Being Carried by Mom from Drug House Is Likely Dead: Police, Oklahoma Mom of 2 Young Children Killed by Husband in Murder-Suicide: 'She Was a Great Mother', Missing Okla. Mullendore was beaten and shot to death on his ranch in Osage County back in 1970. McCurtain County has a population of about 34,800. Kevin Stitt said in a statement to the Associated Press. MCCURTAIN COUNTY, OK (KSLA) - McCurtain County Sheriff's deputies are investigating a deadly shooting. WebA McCurtain County jury deliberated for 45 minutes Wednesday before finding Ernest Alvin Lewis, 66, guilty of first-degree murder in the 1984 shooting death of Johnny Smith at an I was shocked as I assume most people were not only about the comments about journalists, but the racist comments regarding African Americans. This is Leah Rochelle Mahseet: Leah was 16 years old when she was last seen alive in Geary, Oklahoma on September 14th, 1997. The state average was 7.8. Kevin Stitt is calling for the resignations of four officials in southeast Oklahoma after a newspaper's audio recording apparently captured some of them talking of knowing hit men and complaining about two of the paper's journalists. ", In a statement, U.S. Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma said, "The recorded comments from community leaders in McCurtain County are reprehensible and embarrassing for the county and our state. Unsolved Mccurtain County Murders. Adair County Alfalfa County Atoka County Beaver County Beckham County Blaine County Bryan County Caddo County Canadian County Carter County Cherokee County Choctaw County s Mullendore died Wednesday night. ), "I know," Jennings says. WebAccess the Sexual Assault Kit Tracking system? There is simply no place for such hateful rhetoric in the state of Oklahoma, especially by those that serve to represent the community through their respective office., The McCurtain Gazette-News released portions of an audio recording following a March 6 county commission meeting in which Clardy, Manning and Jennings appear to discuss reporters Bruce and Chris Willingham. The state average was 7.8. Authorities say the victim, who appeared to have died from multiple gunshot wounds, is a 46-year-old man from Oklahoma. His name has not been released at this time. "Take them down to Mud Creek and hang them up with a damn rope. In McCurtain County, a $5,000 reward is being offered for help solving Crystal Kindrick's disappearance. The Oklahoma Sheriffs' Association announced that Sheriff Kevin Clardy, Sheriff's Investigator Alicia Manning and Trust Administrator Larry Hendrix have been suspended from the association. Many deaths that are investigated by the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner remain as Unidentified Persons, due to decomposition, fire, injuries, McCurtain County John Doe, Discovered in Oklahoma in 1989. If you would like to look further into the number of murders in Oklahoma by year, you may visit the websites of many local, state, and federal law enforcement organizations, who often times publish comprehensive reports with more information about the crimes committed in that area over specific time frames. 1, in firearm-related injuries and homicides," said Sue Mallonee, the Health Department's longtime chief of injury prevention. 6 Disturbing Unsolved Mysteries In Oklahoma That Will Leave You Baffled 1. All rights reserved. In December a man was charged in the death of a 12-year-old girl who disappeared in 1999, and Sanders said another 8-month-old homicide was solved a few weeks ago. Apply for or renew a handgun license? 20It's hard to sit at my desk and contain my emotions as I watch the story unfold out of McCurtain County, Oklahoma. Mar 23rd. Apr 14th Kim Lertjuntharangool, Missing from Colorado since 2021. The horrible comments are not who we are as Oklahomans. Alicia Manning, District 2 Commissioner Mark Jennings and Jail Administrator Larry Hendrix. "This should be a reminder that we are all defined by who we are in private and in public.". Jennings, who has been County Commissioner for District 2 since November 2020, started to discuss people wanting to run for sheriff. German had published a series of articles reporting on "claims of bullying, hostility and mismanagement at the Clark County's public administrator's office," wrote the Review-Journal. McCurtain County had 169.8 firearms- related injuries per 100,000 population, well-ahead of second-place McClain County (80.0) and third-place Pushmataha County (76.9). According to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Allen Shaw, 89, and Randy Sander, 65, have been charged with Second Degree Murder and Arson in connection to Stoewe's death. Apr 14th Vincent Gorman, Missing from Arizona since 2004. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is working a number of murders in rural parts of Oklahoma and many remain unsolved. They are the kind of crimes that most people move to the country to try to avoid. So, when murder strikes a small town it can really rattle a community. There's the case of a couple found shot to death on Christmas Day. I'll save those comments for you to research yourself. Just before 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, a passerby called authorities reporting someone was lying in the road just outside Hayworth on Goodwater Highway. Change my address on my handgun license? As a highly publicized case in 2018, it's best to read about it on your own. On, Thursday, April 29, 2021, during further investigation in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, the vehicle suspects fled in was recovered in the Hayworth, Oklahoma area by Sheriff Detectives. But I've had coworkers that have reported on issues not dissimilar from some listed above, and that is reason enough to reflect on the subject. MCCURTAIN COUNTY, OK (KSLA) - McCurtain County Sheriff's deputies are investigatinga deadly shooting. Originally assigned to document Meredith's enrollment, Guihard soon turned his focus to the riot that broke out on campus. This is in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains in Eastern Oklahoma. McCurtain County's per capita income for 2001 was $18,803, which ranked 55th in Oklahoma, according to state Commerce Department statistics. Follow him on Twitter @will_carp_. (Marston was the McCurtain County Sheriff in the 1980s, according to The Oklahoman. This list was last updated on July 19, 2022. For music fans, The Lincoln Theatre is hosting its second installment of the Local Music Showcase series. "They don't have a G-- d--- clue what they're getting into," Jennings says. I am both appalled and disheartened to hear of the horrid comments made by officials in McCurtain County," Stitt said in a statement. Shannon Baldwin-Hokanson, Enid, 2012.. Shannon, a mother of 3, was last heard from I'm gonna tell you something. McCurtain County deputies investigating deadly shooting, Thousands without power in Shreveport-Bossier after bush hog hits pole. The McCurtain Gazette reported that the new audio includes more talk of harming journalists, as well as discussion of intimidating the local prosecutor. Mar 22nd. If youre interested in true crime, most likely you may also be Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles was arrested and charged with German's murder, for which he will stand trial on Nov. 6. According to the McCurtain Gazette-News, Stoewe ran inside her home while it was engulfed in flames in an attempt to rescue her pets. Luckily, the team at the Gazette-News did what inevitably leads to a despot's downfall revealed the truth. Their threats include lynching, burning and burying the reporters, of which the members joke that said graves are ready to be dug with one of the speakers' excavator. The cover of "Facing September," a murder mystery based on the case of Kelly Lynn Albright's murder. He goes, 'You gotta pre-heat the oven 350 degrees, leave her in there for 15 minutes,' and she went [vomit sounds, then laughter.]". Tickets should be still available at the door. Chris Willingham, a reporter at the paper, is Bruce Willingham's son. "Bless her heart," Clardy continued. Mar 23rd. The county also is a state leader in deaths and injuries by firearms. They got more rights than we got.". The news also inspired me to Google a question I hadn't thought to ask prior the events in Oklahoma: how many journalists have been murdered on U.S. soil? In a Monday evening statement, the sheriff's office claimed the recording was "illegally obtained." The threats directed at the reporters of the McCurtain Gazette-News, a paper with no online outlet serving a county of roughly 30,000 people, are evidence that this is still a very possible outcome. Renowned comedian and Cheyenne native Brandt Tobler is once again bringing his comedian friends to the stage at a local favorite brewery. Morrison John Doe, Discovered in Colorado in 1977. And what was their story? Saturday night invites local rock bands to the stage, including Angelus Errare, Stay Awhile, Union Goons, We the Few, YOTP and Hell's Half Acre. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? A homicide is a killing and can be Manning then responds and mentions Chris by name. WebFive persons one of a boy of four years and one an infant were shot to death by Aaron (Red) Harvey, 21, and John Pope, 45, on the night of April 26, 1923 in a small A McCurtain County, Okla., newspaper released an audio recording where county officials including the sheriff are allegedly heard discussing killing journalists, lynching Black people and hiring hitmen. Meanwhile, over at the Historic Atlas Theatre, Cheyenne Little Theatre Players is spearheading two nights of Silent Movies at the Atlas. Lori Longchase, Missing from Arizona since 1983. After the paper released the audio, protests began outside of the Board of County Commissioners office. The whole conversation seemed deplorable, Senat said. All my life, we've always said we don't get enough recognition in southeast Oklahoma, Dempsey said. McCurtain County John Doe, Discovered in Oklahoma in 1989. In the recording, Clardy said authorities wrapped her body in tinfoil to preserve it, then Jennings asked if "she'd come apart?" Throughout the 1980s, multiple journalists of ethnic publications were murdered for their coverage. POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) Deputies say a 35-year-old Pottawatomie County man was murdered inside his garage while home alone. It was not immediately clear if either has entered a plea to the charges or retained an attorney. But there's also the matter of this same group conspiring genuine or otherwise to kill two of the journalists employed at the small, family newspaper headquartered in Idabel, Oklahoma, a town that lies geographically nearer to Little Rock and Dallas, and is just over an hour drive from Texarkana. With its rolling, forested hills in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains, the area has become a tourism hotbed attracting a steady stream of visitors from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. One event that lies close to my own heart was the killing of civilian journalist Paul Guihard in Oxford, Mississippi, when he was working as a photojournalist during James Meredith's integration to the then-racially segregated University of Mississippi. The three day event, covered previously in the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, gives attendees the chance to frolic through any and every variation of game for the entirety of the convention's run. Clardy responds, "I've got an excavator.". On Wednesday morning, Jennings resigned from his position as commissioner, News 9 reports. 20It's hard to sit at my desk and contain my emotions as I watch the story unfold out of McCurtain County, Oklahoma. Updated: Sep 19, 2019 / 07:00 PM CDT. PEOPLE has reviewed the audio, but is unable to independently verify the speakers. Unidentified Persons - Oklahoma Cold Cases Unidentified Persons are organized by county. The state's overall per capita income for 2001 was $25,575. Tupac Shakur. Amazon. Gov. Four days after Kelly Lynn Albright disappeared from her family's home, she was found dead in a field. Phil Bacharach, a spokesman for Attorney General Gentner Drummond, said the agency had received an audio recording and is investigating the incident, but declined to comment further. WebWJ Edwards 2-15-39, Convicted of Murder Story 1: Two Are Held in City Death, Shots Blamed on Robbery Fear Two men were held in the city jail Monday and funeral arrangements completed for a third as the aftermath of a shooting Sunday night in a one-room house at 129 West Chickasaw Avenue, Services for [] Bruce Willingham, the longtime publisher of the McCurtain Gazette-News, said the recording was made March 6 when he left a voice-activated recorder inside the room after a county commissioner's meeting because he suspected the group was continuing to conduct county business after the meeting had ended in violation of the state's Open Meeting Act. IDABEL McCurtain County's state-leading homicide rate shows no signs of slowing down. Will Carpenter is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle's Arts and Entertainment/Features Reporter. Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. "I know that other than Oklahoma City and Tulsa, my district is right up there.". James H. Tillman after being critical of his personal conduct and political policy. Mar 23rd Rhea Ochoa, The museum featured a room lined with every Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph, an archive of authentic newspapers containing articles of events from the end of the Civil War and the sinking of the Titanic, to the assassination of president John F. Kennedy and the Boston Marathon bombing. McCurtain is a distant 27th in the state. WebSome of the oldest unsolved murders on Uncovered s cold case website include the 1960 murder of Nancy Eagleson, the 1977 murder of Ann Harmeier, the 1977 murder of Leah Mahseet, Unsolved Murder from Oklahoma in 1997. That figures to 20.5 homicides per 100,000 population, easily the highest rate in the state. Last September, an investigative reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Jeff German, was stabbed to death outside of his home. Editors note: Over 20 years, from 2000 to 2019, there were 4,177 murders in Oklahoma, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. But we don't need this kind of recognition., 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. First, there's the content of everything that the members of the McCurtain County Sheriff's Office and McCurtain County Board of County Commissioners discussed during an illegal meeting a stretch of audio that would fit well as an archived recording from the jailhouse of a pre-civil rights "sundown town." "A lot of our violence statistics are related to poverty, so some of this may be related to income levels, some of it may be related to gun ownership.". Jennings tells Clardy and Manning I know where two deep holes are dug if you ever need them, and the sheriff responded, I've got an excavator., Jennings also said he's known two or three hit men in Louisiana, adding "they're very quiet guys., In the recording, Jennings also appears to complain about not being able to hang Black people, saying: They got more rights than we got.. Joey Senat, a journalism professor at Oklahoma State University, said he was shocked to hear the comments made in the recording, especially in light of recent killings of journalists in the U.S., including the arrest last year of a Las Vegas-area elected official accused of fatally stabbing a veteran newspaper reporter who had been investigating him. Jennings then brings up the idea of hitmen, saying, "I've known two or three hitmen, they're very quiet guys and would cut no f-----g mercy.". Later in the recording which the McCurtain Gazette-News says was legally obtained because the recording was taken at a public meeting the conversation took another disturbing turn. This weekend, Kevin Hawkins was murdered in the parking lot of the Lewiston Apartments at 51st Street and Lewis Avenue. More than 100 people gathered outside the McCurtain County Courthouse in Idabel on Monday, with many of them calling for the sheriff and other county officials to resign. I'm one to talk, since I have the pleasure of reporting on the arts. The worst year for ", "Every Oklahoman has the right to live in safety and freedom without fear of injustice from local, state or national authorities," he continued. "Crime is a bad problem and meth is a big part of it," Sanders said. She was last seen at about 9:10 pm that night at a gas station on the north end of town, merely 100 yards from her home. WebThe Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is working a number of murders in rural parts of Oklahoma and many remain unsolved. When reached by phone, the McCurtain County Sheriff's Office declined to provide a comment to PEOPLE but said that the FBI is now investigating the recording. "We've got her on the Web site, we've got her on I'd run for f-----g sheriff.". Oklahoma County had 12.5 homicides per 100,000 from 1992 to 2001, and Tulsa County had 8.2. OSBI says 27-year-old Gary Dixon has been "I don't know what the answer is.". The first known journalist to be killed for their work on U.S. soil was Elijah Parish Lovejoy, who was murdered by a pro-slavery mob in 1837 for supporting the abolition of slavery. Joking doesnt excuse that.. Shakur was shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas in 1996, which led to his death six days later. The state average was 24.4 firearms-related injuries per 100,000 population. Its most notable towns include Idabel (population 7,040), Broken Bow (4,280), Wright City (860) and Valliant (780). "Since November things have been insane in McCurtain County," District Attorney Virginia Sanders said. Just before 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, a passerby called Saturday morning is the Earth Day Extravaganza at Sunshine Plant Co. According to News 9, the recording was taken after Bruce Willingham the father of Chris Willingham left his recorder in the meeting in an attempt to prove officials were conducting business in secret, which would be in violation of the state's Open Meeting Act, the Associated Press reports. It ranks second in firearm deaths on a per capita basis, behind Cimarron County and ahead of Jefferson County. 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