Today, that house is tall and long, bricked at the bottom. 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. What do you think was the change there? 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. Recording of Kayla: What was it like for you at the time that you retired was the case still open or had it kind of effectively gone cold?. K: The new team of investigators led by Pearo took the gun and ran tests, but it came back without a match. Authorities found a 9mm handgun inside a trash can in the garage, according to an arrest warrant. My mom, of course, is there, and I was there with her. This incident is alleged to have happened in early June. WebThis horrific crime happened on June 13, 1977 at Camp Scott in Mayes County. I told him we hadnt. Be 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. Recording of Ken: Henslee set it up and at that time, we werent sure if Henslee was for us or against us. 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. K: This past spring, our newsroom got a call asking if we could look through our old newspapers to find a picture taken of a Jimi Hendrix concert on campus from the May 12, 1970 paper. On March 8, 1972, the grand jury met for the first time in Cleveland County to listen to witness testimonies and decide if there were any charges that could be filed against Gilley or if there was mishandling they could hold the local law agencies accountable for. Months went by without a response or a jury. NORMAN Investigators arrested a man in connection with the death of a woman whose remains were found at Lake Thunderbird last Monday. The calls got further apart, but somebody would always call and would say what do you think about this thing, did you look at this, and all that. He was detained briefly and released. NORMAN Police conducting a murder investigation say the decomposed body of a woman with special needs was found inside a container in the basement of a home about three years after she went missing. Recording of Jacobson: David Sloan was from Amarillo, and when they tried Gilley on his aggravated assault out there, they tried it like a murder case because it was a horrible thing for a law enforcement officer to be accused of aggravated assault. WebNORMAN Police conducting a murder investigation say the decomposed body of a woman with special needs was found inside a container in the basement of a home about In the following months, officers deliberated how best to pin Gilley down for the murders. We got out there and the polygrapher is an old Texas Ranger, one of Hensleys buddies. K: Mike Brake, the reporter who covered the case in its earlier days, said the same thing. He told my mother, Then I remembered, I still got you, I still got Linda and I still got Steve. So he drove back home.. College students going out together, laughing with friends, looking forward to the future. Here, Linda, K: NPD responded to public criticism of its officers over the years, said. Investigators said Bill Henslee, the Norman police chief at the time, wanted to make sure this case didnt reflect poorly on him or the department. And the further you get into it, the further you want to get into it. Busken was abducted from her Norman apartment complex parking lot the morning of Dec. 20, 1996. Jacobson said calls flooded in, but every one of them led to a dead end. It says after being acquainted with Frank Gilley, it was the opinion of this officer that Gilley is very capable of committing such an act of which he is being investigated by your department. NORMAN Cory Jay Bodily was killed in 2008. And that pool cue was over on the passengers side, on the floor and it was completely wiped clean, didnt have anybodys fingerprints on it., Recording of Brake: So I think Sloan grabbed that pool cue handle and said Ill kick your ass and Gilley shot him with the handgun. I hope you do. But then, he got pretty far but not real far, and started thinking. K: Randall County is a small portion of land encompassing the southern half of Amarillo, a lake and a few other small towns with a current population of about 120,000. Address: 6400 BLOCK OF 36TH AVENUE NW, Norman, OK. View Source Square with arrow pointing upper right. K: Four days later, Pearo and other officers arrested Gilley at the auto parts store where he worked and booked him once again into the Dallas County jail. 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.. DNA testing wasnt being used yet, so police had few options. Sherry and I, yes. Recording of Linda: I know justice was not served It was one of the hardest things Ive ever done in my life, cause every day I would drive from Oklahoma City clear to Norman, to the courthouse and you know Kayla, what I heard in that was just even, even proof to me more and more that he did do this.. Not only does the department interact with the Norman community on a more regular basis, but the hiring protocols for officers have completely changed. 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. There was a carnival coming to town and classes were ending soon, so students were hosting parties. WebNORMAN, Okla. Police have identified the two people killed in a double-homicide in Norman. Everytime I just about get it out of my head, somebody calls and says weve got a guy that thinks hes got the gun. The medical examiner said Byron It would be the publics first look at new details and theories regarding the case. K: Along with the drive NPD felt to clear its name, the clock was ticking. Around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, police were called to reports of a shooting in the 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.. He was going to drive to Amarillo, Texas, and kill him. Munoz said he had to call police to get Sanchez to leave. Recording of Ken: One of the hardest things about something like this is what you know happened but you cant prove it. K: That was the voice of Mike Brake, the reporter from the Oklahoma Journal who covered the Sheryl Benham-David Sloan case in the early 70s. Jacobson and a few other agents, like Norman detective Floyd Nash, dedicated themselves to finding enough hard proof to convict Gilley. As the night hours of May 9 wear on, Sheryls dadbecomes worried. And we think that was sort of a mistake because of what the jurors said in some of their questionnaires. I was taken into his car and handcuffed to be taken to the jail, along with some of the other boys . WebOklahoma Bookings. And I think he did use time as an ally to just cast some doubt on the allegations that were made and the accuracy of the allegations and the accuracy of the witness recollection. K: Many of the individuals named in our investigation died within 10 or 15 years of the case going to trial. Recording of Ken: The reason a .22 was used is because you cant do any type of ballistics on them like you can with larger guns. It may have been almost 50 years since the murders, but Linda said it rarely feels that long. The police department brought in dozens of suspects, potential witnesses, family members and friends to interview. 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. WebCrime Map. He then cut the body up into a hundred pieces and cooked and ate from them for days. Police traveled to the The three were found dead at a home in northeast Oklahoma City. Once completed, we will present the case to the District Attorneys office, who will review the case and file the appropriate charges., Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The more I learned about that night, the more I realized it started off just like the fraternity parties today. WebNORMAN, Okla. Norman police on Thursday released the identities of two men who died in an apparent murder-suicide. Jacobson also testified. K: A few days in, the couples that identified Gilley in 1970 as the man who harassed them on Lovers Lanes told the grand jury Gilley had mentioned the murders of David and Sheryl to them when he approached their cars. Some personal belongings had been strewn around the car, like a bracelet Ken Jacobson, the OSBI investigator from earlier, found and gave back to Sheryls parents. It sits in a quiet neighborhood. Most of the case takes place in central Oklahoma and Northern Texas, but our story begins five days earlier in Kent, Ohio, on Monday, May 4, 1970. WebOn Feb. 13, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation opened a suspicious death investigation after remains were found at the lake in Norman. On the way up, Mr. Gilley made several remarks to the Mexican, one remark was that he didnt like his face. 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. K: But investigators did find .22 caliber weapons in the house, however they were technically owned by Gilleys father. So when I walked in there, and they say, Can we help you? And Im just here, My sister is missing and Ive just wondered, and they stopped me and go, What is her name? And when I said Sherry Benham, they turned to me and say, You need to go home. Im like, Well my dad-, No, you need to go home, now. Youre probably gonna think, how could anyone be as nave as I was. .. On June 8, 1970, they had driven down to Norman It says Well we were on a dirt road and had pulled up toward the west to where the sun was going down.. I had an awful time letting go of it. This was the only physical evidence in the entire case. And he told me, he said if I file a case like that, itll set law enforcement back 20 years in Oklahoma., Recording of Kayla: Now what does that mean? He had lived in small towns in northern Texas his whole life and spent over a decade in the Amarillo area as a sheriffs deputy for Potter County. He spoke of how Gilley admitted to him he did know David before the murders, though Gilley previously testified he had never met David. Two: Why Henslee hadnt focused the investigation closer on Gilley from the beginning? 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. The cloudy past of the man suspected for the murders is investigated in episode 3, as well as the beginnings of a cover-up, a retracted alibi and testimony from various couples who were also harassed on Lovers Lanes. He still lives in the area. Pearo and Jacobson worked closely at times, and as Pearo found out more about the case, his determination to give Sheryl and David justice mimicked his predecessor. K: Gilley rushed home to a frenzy of officers. They said he had no family, no visitors, I hope he didnt. In the coming months, detectives tailed Gilley as he went to work at his various odd jobs. . At the end of episode four, police called Frank Gilley at work and told him to hurry home. You know You had this last so where is it?. Im writing this in hopes that some of the people receiving this letter can provide answers, he typed. Linda and Sheryls parents, Ben and Sue Benham, moved around for Bens different jobs until settling their family in Oklahoma City for good. K: This is Linda Adams, the older sister of Sheryl Benham. What happens is you have blood seepage into the lung., Recording of Ken: I think he came out of that car and Frank had to shoot him a couple times, I dont think he intended to shoot anybody, he just wanted, you know, to do his thing. Instead, immediately call the Cleveland County Sheriff's Department at 405-701-7700. 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. Grady 2 Views. In July, a hearing was held to determine whether the case had enough evidence to go to trial. Recording of Minty: He just sat there quietly at the defense table the entire time. So if you come across something at a department where something may have beentried to be swept under the rug because the department didnt want to look bad, the current chief or sheriff didnt want to look bad for whatever reason you might think that happens. Five days later, a few miles west of OUs campus, shots were fired again, ending the lives of two college students. K: This is one of the only times we ever came across the Sloan family coming to Norman to be involved with the case. K: Welcome back to Uncovered: The Lovers Lane Murders. Whoever did that knew about crime scenes and knew about firearms they knew what they were doing. This meant that investigators were not only working a difficult case, but also working against bosses and colleagues, politics and public perception. Particularly a lot more nowadays than there was back in the 1970s.. K: Almost two days later, their belongings were found dropped in and around Daves car, a 1966 Pontiac GTO. Recording of Pearo: In February of 1990, just out of the blue, the old landlord for where Frank Gilley, where he used to live.. 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.. I think he started his lovers lane harassment and I think David recognized him. 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 Dave Pearo, a Norman police officer from 1981 to 2004. Bill Maher funeral home. Shortly afterward, he heard gunshots. Henslee said he thought Gilley was the target of a hate plot and a smear campaign. So we called him at work. Police identified the murder suspect as Isis McMullen. A reporter there had a tip about someone on Normans police force. He told Rick that it would cost us a $20 fine each or he would have to take us down As he was leaning up against the car, he asked me, and this was one of the first things he said, eh asked me if Rick and I had ever gone all the way together or something like that. Except one, a few days later. He called us one night and said Franks agreed to take a polygraph and were going to do it in Lubbock. My mind was, Where could I go, what couldve happened? She drove me to Norman. The OSBI later identified the Because you know her parents were there. There would have been music, talking, some drinking, maybe dancing. TWO FOUND DEAD IN TRUNK. Those five words, in large bold font, headlined a story on the bottom right corner of the May 12 front page. One: Why a man with an aggravated assault charge in Texas had been hired as a Norman cop? Of the 249 murders, 139 were cleared by arrest or exceptional means, yielding a 55.8% clearance rate. Recording of Kayla: Can you speak about the relationship between Henslee and Gilley? He was only on the force for three years, mostly focused on this one case. A Norman man has been arrested in connection with the murder of a Wellston woman whose remains were found at Lake Thunderbird, the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation reported Wednesday. When Davids mom arrived at the Benham house later that Sunday, Linda decided she was going to leave for Norman to see if she could help find Sheryl. I mean this guy was a cop and he did this stuff. When he arrived, he was arrested. K: From interviews, news articles and court documents, we were able to piece together an outline of that night. K: Boden and her date Rick had been west of Norman, in the same area that David and Sheryl were just 30 days earlier. On the following Wednesday and Thursday, funerals were held. And then he comes back. Potter County, where Gilley was working directly before he came to Norman, covers the northern half of Amarillo. The Girl Scout Murders of 1977 still remains unsolved to Pearo said investigators were discouraged by how the case was previously handled, but when they met up with original case detectives like Ken Jacobson, it was a new opportunity for collaboration. Recording of Kayla: Why do you think that is? Recording of Pearo: Frank had rented a house from this guy and he brings in this .22 caliber rifle.. Recording of Linda: I would just love to look him straight in the face and say What happened? Way past that 1991 trial. They patted each other on the back, good to see you, and all that stuff. WebNorman police shoot suspect who allegedly killed 1, shot another The shooting happened around 6 p.m. Thursday in the 300 block of East Comanche. Recording of Pearo: There were a bunch of them that sat there and kind of kicked it around and decided that they werent going to go for an arrest warrant but wanted to go for a grand jury, which to me was very disappointing because Im a go get them arrest them kind of guy.. Witnesses were dying, people were moving or losing track of them. WebIn April 2004, the Oklahoma Senate, by a vote of 38 to 7, and the Oklahoma House of Representatives, by a vote of 92 to 4, approved a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.On November 2, 2004, Oklahoma voters approved Oklahoma Question 711, a constitutional amendment which banned same-sex marriage and any "legal incidents In episode 2, listen to the the story of Sheryls sister, Linda, on the day her family searched for Sheryl. Episode 1 Case Number: 2023-00010701. Recording of Pearo: Ken never gave up on the case. Hes got a big smile, seems confident. Officers with assault charges arent usually allowed to continue policing. Recording of Brake: There was no official record at any check in Texas to indicate that Gilley had ever made contact with Sloan, officially. When we got upstairs, Mr. Gilley was filling out the paperwork on the Mexican boy and he asked the boy how much money he had and the boy said $10. Ten years later, his mother, Sharleen Resor, is finally close to experiencing closure. Another unsolved case is that of 2-year-old Riah Thomas. I think before when it was brought up, I still hurt so bad and my emotions. 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? 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: I dont know. Well pick back up the day the bodies were found. Maybe the war protesters from earlier that week had started rioting. Recording of Brake: They asked, Were you acquainted with Frank Gilley when he was employed by the Norman Police Department? Im Kayla Branch. Said if I went out in the woods and took off all my clothes, he wouldnt take me to jail.. Sheryl graduated from Putnam City High School in 1969 and was living in Oklahoma City with her parents, her older sister Linda and Lindas oldest son. Now detectives believed themselves to be without any physical evidence. WebThis Cleveland County Oklahoma Most Wanted List posts the top 50-100 fugitive criminals on the run. Did Henslee know about the assault charge? I think when you ask around about other places or just other people that are in this profession when they talk about getting hired at Norman youll learn that our process is a lot harder and a lot more scrutinizing than a lot of places We still do psychological testing. For Linda, talking openly about her sister is something thats relatively new. 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