murders in norman, oklahoma

Henslee is quoted saying this in multiple articles and testimonies. WebNorman Cleveland County Oklahoma Arrests, Warrants & Most Wanted. Web9801 DEERFIELD DR, NORMAN, OK 73026 Get a FREE Property Report for this home. Date: 2/28 #1 stephens co hold. Recording of Brake:Sheriff Johnston said he believed Gilley was very much capable of committing the type of crime that is involved in this case, he said in his opinion, GIlley was a very sadistic personality.. K: The first full day of the July hearing had testimony from seven witnesses, including Gilleys parents, a former wife and the Norman police chief from the 1970s, Bill Henslee. What happens next leaves him and his family reeling while the Norman Police Department begins investigation. I think before when it was brought up, I still hurt so bad and my emotions. The Benhams became close with investigators, especially Ken Jacobson, the lead investigator from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. So I go, Dad did you find Sherry? And so were not letting that go. What became the most important, Jacobson told us, was finding the murder weapon. Sheryls family started thinking of possibilities of what could have happened. When the couples started coming to police, investigators put together a line up of photos of officers. Then here we can and were visiting it again, making the news again. Recording of Minty: his job was to cast some kind of doubt on the jurys mind about whether, you know, the validity of those claims. When we found Lindas phone number and reached out to her, she had reservations about telling her story to another set of reporters, but she became an invaluable source, sharing personal details from a family struck with tragedy. Recording of Ken: Im thrilled that somebody is still interested enough in it to try to put something together, thats why I didnt hesitate to meet with yall. They spoke to an ex-girlfriend of Davids, who said they had sometimes went to the Ten-Mile Flats area after dates. Joshua Bookout. Yes, he had a badge in a black badge holder that was for the sheriffs office.. Benham did write the letter on May 11, 1971, exactly one year after the body of his daughter and her date were found in the trunk of Daves car. The medical examiner said Byron And its also important to remember the climate of the time, that even though the majority of Normans community trusted law enforcement officials, the younger generation was having increasingly negative run-ins with officers, whether through protesting or individual incidents. K: They talked to other officers he worked with and they said he liked to run gulleys, a slang term for driving through lovers lane areas and harassing teens. Its seized, its packaged. After 20 years, they couldnt see putting a guy to death. Recording of Brake: Some friends told me that the man was Frank Gilley and that he hit me in the head with a flashlight. Im Kayla Branch. The only thing we had to work with was the shell casing that had been ejected, and the firing pin makes a distinct impression on the shell casing, and this one was unusual But we could never match them. And theyre almost all headshots at that point. He spoke of how Gilley admitted to him he did know David before the murders, though Gilley previously testified he had never met David. WebRT @dtblove05: Oklahoma University football team helping out one of their teammates clean up after a tornado destroyed his house in Norman, OK. 28 Feb 2023 01:09:39 I dont fault them for trying. Recording of Linda: Early the next morning, my sister had not come home and we knew something was wrong I remember my mother shaking me saying, Linda, Linda. Im like, What? She said, Have you heard from Sherry? Im like, What are you talking about? And I begin to hear all this, She never came home last night. My very first thought was Oh my god, Sherry, are you in trouble now. My dad was gone before daylight driving to Norman. That was good enough for me to go after him with everything I had.. K: Youre listening to Uncovered: the Lovers Lane Murders. They checked his police car, finding that on an average night, he would drive well over 100 miles on patrol. A woman who was a clerk for NPD in 1970, said Gilley was in the office around 3:30 a.m. Sunday, within a few hours of the murders, and acted unusual. WebCrime Statistics. The judge for the jury was the former Cleveland County DA who had previously refused to go after Gilley, Jacobson said. Potter County, where Gilley was working directly before he came to Norman, covers the northern half of Amarillo. But he signed off on the search warrant.. Now you dont die right away from a wound in the lung unless there is a major artery hit. ADVERTISEMENT Most of these shots were in the upper body and head. David was shot 11 times and Sheryl 14. Recording of Linda: He looked at my mom and said, Sue, Im going after him and theyre not going to do anything, and he got his truck and took off and I know he had a rifle. This one kind of absorbs you. Recording of Linda: Well, she loved her job I love, theres this one picture of Sherri, she looked so cute she had the little red skirt and the white top, you know, and she was just so cute in it.. Gilley took the test four days after the bodies were found. Recording of Pearo: This case was in there. They were spurred on by the initial evidence; the assault charge, Henslee hiring Gilley out of line with protocols and Gilley disappearing. Because you know her parents were there. The jury went on for a few days, but thats really the end of it. This was a disappointment, but it paled in comparison to the news detectives received when they went to the OSBI to retrieve the rest of the case evidence. Because there was not a hard piece of evidence to put him on the trigger. The OSBI later identified the When he arrived, he was arrested. David came to OU as a student from Amarillo, Texas, in 1966. I think he started his lovers lane harassment and I think David recognized him. Grady. He was tall with thick brown hair and a lean build. Dave and Sherry deserved something better than what they got and their families Maybe there is something in there we missed.. That's 22.24% higher than the national rate of 2,346.0 per 100,000 people Sanchez and his wife lived at the Ann Branden Boulevard apartment until October 2018, according to investigators. The daughter of one of his wives said Gilley had answered yes when she asked if hed ever killed anyone, though there is no record of a lawful killing on Gilleys police file. I know who you are, youre Frank Gilley, Recording of Brake: So what I think happened is they stopped there to make some whoopie, and I think maybe Sherry was already undressed when Gilley approached. Recording of Pearo: Frank had rented a house from this guy and he brings in this .22 caliber rifle.. About 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of Oklahoma City, the Norman Police Department responded Sunday night to storm damage on the south and eastern sides of Norman. If you come across them, do not attempt to apprehend them yourself. According to the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office, 30-year-old Austin Blake Godwin was booked into the Cleveland County jail early Wednesday, shortly after surrendering himself at the Norman K: This is Linda Adams, the older sister of Sheryl Benham. With the information from the previous investigation, the gun turning up and interviews with every single original witnesses, except one that died, detectives decided to try and get a warrant to search Gilleys De Soto residence. Henslee backed him, saying Gilley wasnt the kind of man to commit any serious crimes, definitely not murder. We were never able to get in contact with any of these family members, though. Per page 1; 2; 3 > Christopher Sanders. Eventually, Jacobson told Ben Benham, Sheryls father, to try writing a letter to Oklahomas attorney general and see if a grand jury could be convened, effectively skipping the need for authorization from heads of local agencies and instead giving officers a way to immediately close in on Gilley. He had showed me all of these at one time or another and also offered to loan them to me. Because of his mistrust in the intentions of other officers as the case unfolded through the years, Jacobson held onto it until he presented it in 1990 as the lone remaining piece of evidence. WebForty years ago this month, Oklahoma suffered one of its most horrific murder scenes near the small town of Locust Grove. No murder weapon, no footprints, no tire tracks. Munoz told investigators he last saw Sanchez in May of 2020 when Sanchez was trying to get into the house uninvited, according to the search warrant affidavit. Linda, Sheryls older sister by two years, stayed at their family home in Oklahoma City with her mom. WebNorman man arrested in connection with murder of woman found at Lake Thunderbird; Former Norman car dealer accused of tampering in criminal case; Body recovered at Lake According to the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office, 30-year-old Austin Blake Godwin was booked into the Cleveland County jail early Wednesday, shortly after surrendering himself at the Norman His secretary had said he got mail, so we think he called that old sheriff out there and said write me a letter from Frank and date it back.. She was 19. Recording of Brake: Well the second one, the guys at the Norman Police Department really wanted to solve the darn thing. K: There were clothes, a bloody blanket, hair and the roughly 30 shell casings that were all missing. An old pool cue, broken in half, was in the front seat. Description: DISTURBANCE/DOMESTIC. A suspect is in custody, the sheriff's office in Tate County, Mississippi, But handwritten here, in Ken Jacobsons handwriting, Gilley made a verbal statement on 5-12-70 to this agent that he was personally acquainted with Sloan and had trouble with that wise punk in Amarillo two or three times.. Jacobson pointed to the unusual handling of the case and what he considered obstruction that interfered with the investigation. They didnt know anyone new was being hired. After the test, Henslee told reporters Gilley was innocent, that the polygraph proved it, and then Gilley packed his bags and resigned from the force that same day. Rarely did he make any type of gestures that would draw any interest.He was quiet and he didnt do anything to call attention to himself.. The case becomes exceedingly complicated and twisted from here on out, so be prepared. But Jacobson, never did let go of the case. But I was. Henslee said he had fired Gilley a few days after the murders because of the tip that Gilley liked to harass couples on lovers lanes, but also said he had never seen any physical evidence to this day that ties Gilley to the crime., Recording of Ken: One of the comments Henslee made was that he didnt have enough power to influence a murder investigation. Sherry and I, yes. K: Brake had the actual statements that Jacobson is referring to, from when Butch was questioned by investigators on Nov. 24, 1970. And even though these statements were coming in after the murders of Sheryl and David, police were including pictures of Gilley. Investigators called former colleagues and bosses of Gilley, looking for character statements. Uncovered: The Lovers Lane Murders is a five-part investigative podcast into the murders of two teenagers in Norman, Oklahoma in 1970. K: Undeterred by the two passed polygraphs, investigators kept digging. Why? Gilley had taken his first polygraph a few days after the murders and when Henslee said he passed, Gilley packed up his bags and left the force. It was a much smaller department then, often only a few police officers would be out patrolling the city at a time. My mother finally said, Ive got to call Ms. Sloan and tell her what is going on. My mother hung up the phone and said, She is on her way.. Except one, a few days later. K: Ten days before Green told investigators what he knew about Gilley, they learned that multiple young couples had recently been harassed by an unknown man on lovers lanes. Theres a large backyard shaded by multiple trees. And then, on the last full day of trial, on Friday, Nov. 8, Perrine put Gilley on the stand. K: Most of these testimonies didnt come as a shock to those intimately involved with the case. And the further you get into it, the further you want to get into it. Investigators said Sandoval at one time was placed in Griffin Memorial Hospital for mental health treatment, and on Feb. 17, 2018 she filed a report with Norman police stating Sanchez and his wife were abusing her. Maybe the war protesters from earlier that week had started rioting. One: Why a man with an aggravated assault charge in Texas had been hired as a Norman cop? The police department brought in dozens of suspects, potential witnesses, family members and friends to interview. He resigned and worked for an amusements company before being hired at the Norman Police Department, according to articles in the Norman Transcript. And they are locked in the trunk now, what are they going to do. K: When Jacobson and the team of investigators finally have enough evidence to put real pressure on Gilley, they run into opposition from Henslee and other Oklahoma law enforcement. They were from a .22 caliber weapon. Busken was abducted from her Norman apartment complex parking lot the morning of Dec. 20, 1996. My mom, of course, is there, and I was there with her. When I googled the names of those involved, dozens of articles popped up, spanning decades. Forty years ago, Gregory W. Canatis got into a fight with his father in their Midwest City apartment and killed him with a brand-new butcher knife. Said if I went out in the woods and took off all my clothes, he wouldnt take me to jail.. Brake saved a newspaper article about Sheryls funeral the next day. Back to Brake reading Bodens statement: Recording of Brake: We watched it go down and when it was down, we were still there for a few minutes and a car drove by and I didnt see it but Rick did. We still do a complete background on these people talking to everybody looking at everything. Police said the double-murder occurred late Tuesday night in this University of Oklahoma community 20 miles south of Oklahoma City. I dont think she was shot at that point. Three, four and five: Why before Gilley was hired, he didnt take a polygraph test, have a background check or enter his fingerprints into the system? Two years later, it seems like charges might be put against Gilley, but nothing is certain. The case is almost 50 years old and remains unsolved. NORMAN, Okla. - Special agents from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation have arrested a man in connection to the murder of a woman who was found at Lake Thunderbird. She told them he was home with her, but later recanted her statement, saying she didnt know exactly where he was. K: Next time on Uncovered: The Lovers Lane Murders. So theres checks and balances to make sure the stuff isnt happening. Recording of Linda: I would just love to look him straight in the face and say What happened? It was another disappointing end again.. He said his assault charges and even the call from the Amarillo TV station were retaliation for a contentious sheriff election in Amarillo in 1968, among other things, and that he was being used as a, quote, political football.. He was arrested early May 6, 1977, after being found by a neighbor asleep outside the bloody apartment. Recording of Brake: 200 people. FIND A FACILITY. The K: Thats Chip Minty, a reporter at The Oklahoman who covered the trial, describing Gilleys demeanor on Oct. 21, 1991, as jurors were picked. Investigators told me that they started to hear rumors, that GIlley had an obsession with lovers lanes, just like the one where David and Sheryl were found. Recording of Kayla: Why do you think that is? Heres a quote about Sher right there: She loved life and lived to make people happy. Dr. Bailey said he told her young friends that detailing her high moral character and firm Christian beliefs, then urged the crowd especially the young to trust in God. The murders are intrinsically tied to the decade they occurred the type of technology available for investigations, the loss of trust in police and the beginnings of harsh public scrutiny into government bodies. Dallas in De Soto, Texas, in the early 90s. She was just, oh, well-respected, very intelligent, just you know My dad was a very strict father, but he, uh, you just knew what to do and what not to do.. Recording of Pearo: You could see some of the resentment from people who are now adults still going back to their college days and being really critical on the police. We talked to more than just that agency to try to uncover those things and those issues such as in this case an issue we had in Amarillo., Recording of Kayla: You mentioned that that was kind of a change. There was a carnival coming to town and classes were ending soon, so students were hosting parties. I just dont think its there. Turns out I was right. Recording of Brake: Ava Yvonne Boden, this was her statement on Nov. 14, 1970. When these kids started coming up and picking his picture out of a photo lineup is when I really started believing they knew what they were talking about.. Recording of Linda: Our family was very close, very close. So got a lot of fire power.. And then he goes on duty and comes back in the police car and finishes them off., Recording of Brake: And you notice there were a couple bullet holes in the fenders of the car. WebHome / Select Cities / 2023 Comparing Bakersfield, CA vs. Norman, OK 2023 Compare Crime Rates: Bakersfield, CA vs Norman, OK Change Cities : Bakersfield, CA: Norman, OK: United States Violent Crime: 24: 14.7: 22.7 Property Crime: 60: 40.9: 35.4: The Crime Indices range from 1 (low crime) to 100 (high crime). So he passed the polygraph. Recording of Pearo: In February of 1990, just out of the blue, the old landlord for where Frank Gilley, where he used to live.. Recording of Brake: There was no official record at any check in Texas to indicate that Gilley had ever made contact with Sloan, officially. Shortly afterward, he heard gunshots. As a matter of fact, he, even all those years later, he kept track of where Gilley was on the sly, would leave him a little note on his car every once in a while, Gilley wouldnt know where it came from, but were still looking at you, that kind of stuff, a little psychological warfare. Im Kayla Branch and at the end of episode three, investigators had taken testimonies from 14 young adults who came forward claiming Frank Gilley had harassed them while they parked on lovers lanes. Now detectives believed themselves to be without any physical evidence. Recording of Linda: This was one of the weirdest things ever. I think he was but was not dying or dead, maybe not even dying. He then jumped up and grabbed the boy by the shoulders, shoved him against the wall and banged the boys head against the wall several times.. And theres probably a million cases like that This one is really unique in that it involved a police officer and I think that if we had had 100 percent cooperation from the get go, that we could have cleared it., K: It wasnt until 1972 that the case seemed like it might pick back up again. I did not see the flashlight myself, but as he was shoving me out the door, my head hit the door. Recording of Pearo: He thought we were just working the dickens out of his burglary. It was like, Hey look, that case will probably never go anywhere, so forget that one, you can look at the rest of them. Recording of Ken: Yeah., Recording of Pearo: We had a cold case file and I would go through old homicide cases, not so much as to try to solve them, but to see how guys worked them in the past and that sort of thing.. K: Frank Gilley lived in Texas working odd jobs until he died in March 2002, according to the Amarillo Globe-News. Were just, you just dont let it go. When it was decided the case would once again be brought to a grand jury in February 1991, the trajectory looked similar to when the murders were first investigated in the 1970s: A team of investigators followed Gilley, arrested him for a related but not directly connected charge and then a grand jury determines whether he could stand trial. One of them was Butch Green, who had ridden with Frank, who gave the statement that Frank did in fact carry a .22 rifle on duty in the car. When Gilley started work for the Norman police, he was described by other officers as just having shown up one day. They began surveillance on Gilley, finding out where he lived now, following him to work. Believed under the right circumstances, especially if the possibility of discovery were probable, that Gilley would not hesitate to kill a person or persons to help cover an illegal act he was committingThis is also from Sheriff Johnston, Randall County Texas, where Gilley worked at one point. Recording of Linda: When something like this happens, you feel like, What could I do? And the neighbor across the street had gone to OU So I called her and explained that you know Sherry went on this date last night, and she isnt home yet. K: With Gilley arrested, Pearo believes detectives can finally charge him with the murders of Sheryl and David, but the Cleveland County DA wants to give a grand jury another try. About 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of Oklahoma City, the Norman Police Department responded Sunday night to storm damage on the south and eastern sides of Norman. Ten years later, his mother, Sharleen Resor, is finally close to experiencing closure. 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