Facebook Pixel

Oklahoma Cold Cases

Stay on top of all things cold cases, advocacy, and true crime with our twice per week newsletter

Oklahoma Murders

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. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, in addition to Oklahoma’s multiple law enforcement agencies, creates and publishes an annual Uniform Crime Report that shows detailed information and statistics about the various types of crimes and their crime rates for every state in the U.S., including many counties and cities within each state. Another great resource is Project: Cold Case, who, in partnership with the Murder Accountability Project, produced a comprehensive list of all of the unsolved homicides in each state from 1980-2019. According to this list, there were around 11,922 murders in Oklahoma during that nearly 40-year time frame. Looking further into this, roughly 9,618 of those same homicides have been solved during that same time frame, leaving law enforcement with approximately 2,304 unsolved murders in Oklahoma as of the website’s most recent update.

In addition to Project: Cold Case’s unsolved homicide statistics webpage, their website is also home to a database of nearly 25,000 unsolved cases from across the U.S., in addition to several other law enforcement and government agencies across Oklahoma who provide their own lists of cold cases. For example, unsolved murders in northern Oklahoma that may be found within these lists/databases include the 1994 murder of Nola Baldwin, the 1984 murder of Lisa Ann Ledbetter, the 1989 murder of Christine Miller, the 1984 murder of Jim Bourk, and the 1974 murder of Tina Duffell, as well as the unsolved 2019 disappearance of Aubrey Dameron. Other cases that are frequently included are the many unsolved central Oklahoma murders, which include the 1994 murder of Johnetta Johnson, the 1987 murder of Debra Jean McClendon, the 1983 murder of Treva Cannon, the 1973 murder of J.C. Dunn, and the 1982 murder of Debra Bowser, among others. Additionally, the 2009 murder of Tyrell Bolton, the 2016 murder of Joseph Jackson, the 1988 murder of Gerald Finney, the 2011 murder of Alina Fitzpatrick, and the 2010 murder of Roger Britt are some of the many unsolved murders in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Lastly, the 2018 murder of Eric Trammell, the 2014 double murder of Shelby Hughes and Bryan Van Assche, and the 1996 murder of Edward Trotter are a few of the unsolved murders in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, which can be found within various lists and databases.

Joseph Smedley
Joseph SmedleySuspicious Death, 2015
Asha Degree
Asha DegreeMissing, 2000

Consider this

More than 200,000 unsolved cases have gone cold since 1980, and murder clearance rates continue to drop. With equity for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other underserved victims not prioritized in the true crime community—together we can do better.

Famous Oklahoma Murders

If you’re interested in true crime, more than likely you may have an interest in unsolved crimes in addition to solved crimes, some of which may be included within the list of all murders in Oklahoma. Within a list of Oklahoma murders or list of murders in Oklahoma, not only will you find both solved and unsolved crimes, you may also find famous Oklahoma murders, notorious Oklahoma criminals, well-known Oklahoma disappearances, and even notorious Oklahoma serial killers.

Some of the most infamous Oklahoma murders which you may frequently find on these lists that remain unsolved include the 1997 murder of Doris Milner, Lori Farmer, and Michelle Guse, also known as the Oklahoma Girl Scout Murders, the 2000 murder of Nancy Probst, the 2004 murder of Brittany Phillips, and the 1970 murder of E.C. Mullendore. Additional examples of Oklahoma’s many cold cases include some lesser-known missing persons cases, which could include the 2018 disappearance of Kristyn Richerson and the 2019 disappearance of Aubrey Dameron.


Homicide Rate in Oklahoma

One of the many reasons that the Federal Bureau of Investigation makes an amazing resource for people researching true crime is their annual Uniform Crime Reports, which share the number of crimes and their respective crime rates that occur in most cities and counties in every state in the United States. Based on the Uniform Crime Report released by the FBI in 2019, the violent crime rate in Oklahoma was sitting at about 431.8 crimes per 100,000 people in the state. In addition, the homicide rate in Oklahoma in 2019 was approximately 6.7 per 100,000 inhabitants, meaning that nearly 7 people for every 100,000 living in Oklahoma were murdered that year.

The capital city of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, possesses a population of over 665,000 inhabitants as of the 2019 census, making it the most populated city in the entire state. Based on various sources, the violent crime rate in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 2018 was approximately 867.31 per every 100,000 residents, and the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, murders rate was roughly 7.96 per 100,000 inhabitants. Despite the fact that we cannot yet determine how many murders in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 2021 or how many murders in Oklahoma 2021, we can look through archived Uniform Crime Reports released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation along with several Oklahoma law enforcement agencies to determine the current crime trends.


Oklahoma County Murders

As of the 2019 census, the total population of Oklahoma County, Oklahoma was over 797,000 residents. With a seemingly average violent crime rate and homicide rate, there are fewer homicides which remain unsolved for greater periods of time than many other states. Although we don’t know exactly how many Oklahoma County murders have been committed in the past few years, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s annual Uniform Crime Reports can shed some light on some accurate statistics. According to these archived reports, there were 5 Oklahoma County murders in 2016, 1 in 2017, 1 in 2018, and 1 in 2019. Based on these numbers, it appears as if the number of homicides in Oklahoma County per year has decreased since 2016, but has remained stable from 2017-2019.

Occasionally, homicide investigators can gather the sufficient amount of Oklahoma County murders evidence needed to arrest and charge a suspect with the murder, before bringing them to Oklahoma County murders trial. The most common types of evidence that are used in Oklahoma County homicide trials, depending on the nature of the crime, include DNA evidence, trace evidence, biological evidence, and even Oklahoma County murders crime scene photos.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Murders

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, murders seemingly occur more frequently than those in most, if not all, cities in the state, most likely a result of the city’s large size and population. As we can see within Oklahoma’s homicide clearance rate, which sits at around 81% according to Project: Cold Case, most of the murders in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, are quickly solved, thanks in part to law enforcement efforts and improvements in forensic technology. Of course, authorities continue investigating the state’s remaining unsolved murders. As with every other state, until all of their murders are solved, Oklahoma City murders discussion will continue within various social media platforms. Facebook, Websleuths, and Reddit are among the most popular within the true crime community, where users gather to speculate, share theories and information, and have conversations about every detail of a case, often including examples such as Oklahoma City murders pictures, Oklahoma City murders crime scene photos, and even Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, murders autopsy photos.

Thanks to breakthrough improvements in DNA technology, the U.S. has seen hundreds, if not thousands, of cold cases of every age be solved in every state. Some examples of the several cold cases in which Oklahoma City murders DNA or DNA from crimes which occurred in other parts of Oklahoma has been used in order to solve cold cases include the following: the 1976 murder of Virginia Grace Kegans, the 1985 murder of Paul Aikman, the 1983 murder of Tammy Gastineau, and the 1997 murder of Kirsten Hatfield.

Oklahoma Serial Killers

If you’re interested in true crime, most likely you may also be interested in the topic of serial killers. If you’ve ever looked through any serial killer list, you may have come across any of the multiple Oklahoma serial killers, without even knowing or recognizing their names. Surprisingly, there are more Oklahoma killers than you may imagine, and to learn more about them, you can search for list of serial killers in Oklahoma and Oklahoma serial killer list. The most notorious Oklahoma serial killers who frequent these lists include Nannie Doss, also known as “The Giggly Granny,” who killed 11 of her own family members, as well as one of the most well-known Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, serial killers: Roger Dale Stafford, also known as “The Oklahoma City Butcher,” who murdered at least 9 people from 1974-1978 in Oklahoma City, but who is suspected of murdering up to 34.


Crimes in Oklahoma

Project: Cold Case, the Murder Accountability Project, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation are all great resources to learn more about crime in Oklahoma, specifically the statistics of crimes in Oklahoma. The FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, as well as a Uniform Crime Report that is published by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) are both perfect for seeing what types and locations of crimes occur in Oklahoma, as well as showing the crime rates for each area.

Although it may seem as if Oklahoma may never be able to close every Oklahoma homicide or all of the true crime stories in Oklahoma, just think of how far they have come in recent history. To summarize, there were approximately 11,922 murders in Oklahoma from 1980-2019. Since then, around 9,618 of those cases have been solved, leaving the state with only 2,304 unsolved murders in Oklahoma. The progress that has been made is thanks to breakthroughs in forensic technology as well as to law enforcement’s efforts and persistence in even the most difficult cold cases. In the end, investigators within various law enforcement and investigating agencies across the state will continue to investigate the remaining cold cases, until they are able to solve all of Oklahoma’s true crimes.


Get Your Free Step-By-Step Citizen Detective Guide

Get Your Free Step-By-Step Citizen Detective Guide

Additional Oklahoma Cold Cases

Kristyn RichersonMary PewittAubrey DameronTomarion MomodouEarl Ray WilliamsKathleen HensonStephanie ChaseJesse KincannonIna ArnallJeremy TolesLarry Wayne JacksonRyan Wayne GossMartha Bell KadaysoDarian HudsonNancy MedinaJonas SummersLee DavisRachel LewisRozlin AbellFawn AbellTena PreastNaola KearneyCharlotte KinseyCinda PallettDawn NakedheadEarl Sheppard Jr.Jack EslickBarbara StewartWesley StillsmokingJuana Martenez-SalinasPeggy SweetenJarral OsburnAngie TuckerRay JohnsonMaxine GreenHardacre JoeNadia DeavilaKirsten HatfieldFrankie DuvallJason GibsonColt HaynesRickey KutejMolly MillerSelwyne RichardsonTammy RisenhooverAlan SoperBilly StorksonAnnette VailDoran Van WinkleCharles WestfallToni LongApril McCaslinWinter ParksAnna GarrettKaren HeimJason ArmstrongRicky BentonJohn BegayIda BeardJohnnie BallShirley BanningCarol BattermanKeith BaileyGail AndersonLisa AddingtonShannon KetronJudith ElwellRonnie ColeColby DorityAmber BarkerBryan AlexanderRhett AllenJames AndersonLoud AntonioBrendan ArringtonBrianna AshleyKay BakerTravis BakerMichalyn BakerLeanna BallKierra BaskeyfieldNichole BattGreen BaylionteJessica Becerra-GarciaLarry BellAshton BellCarey BellNathaniel BellMariah BennettMessiah BoltonAquantae BowlerAndrew BrosseitBrandi BrownCaleb BuckalooMelvin BurnsAngela BurnsTrinity CadamyNyda CandidoJacquelinn CannonNathan CaseyLayla ClarkAngelique ClarkColt ClarkCoolidge CochranWilliam Crandell SrZayne CrislerJoan CroftVickie DahlJohn DaltonSammul DardenLinda DavisRonnie DavisAlden DavisBlake DewberryLeonard DiricksonDe'Auna DoritySavanah DruryHollis DykesKiayah EdwardsBraelynn EllisAlejandro EscobarSteven EtcheisonShane FieldsKenia FigueroaKeyara FleetwoodFlint FloryDarrell FranklinRichard FryeDavid Fulps IiElexiea GallegosDominic GarciaBrandon GaylordMatthew GerrenMaliki GerrenElias GonzalesJoselyn GonzalesMarie GonzalezLea GoularteTy GourdCandi GramajoKarra GrayPaydenn HarrisBuffy HarrisSarah HartRalph HealeyRoyce HensonRichard HitchcockHaley HollandChastity HoltingMicayla HowellDajiah IngramKamauriah JacksonBruce JacobsJose JimenezAlexis JohnsonTianna JohnsonBrittanie JonesDorian JordanGwendolyn KingDonna KingstonArdie KinkadeCakeab KirbyLarry KrebbsChori LaneCamri LawrenceRandall LeeBrooklyn LeeKylie LehenbauerKayla LeifheitXaviah LeonardFaith LindseyZachary LogsdonMabel LopezMichael MacdougalSilvia MadridTimur MardeyevArly MartinezSteven MatthewsJohn MayMichael MccaullaKamry McgowenJeramiah McnealHope MeekIgnacio MendezAustin MillerDana Milligan-CurrenEric MinnisFredrick MitchellDavion MonroeJaidian MorrisShariya MorrisonBryan MurphyJames MurphyAndrew NailsSheena NakisoDominique NoboaAndre OgansAmber PagoriaBrianna PaisGlenda PetersenHeather PetersonEarl PeytonLonda PhillipsPaula PhillipsAlex PoCurt PointerAlexis PowellJeremy PowersGenice PratherCourtney PriceBennjamyn QuantrilleOscar QuilimacoMahkenzie RainesHailey RamseyShealyn RedricksTravonte RentieKennif RhoddSamantha RiderHaleema RobinsonStavian RodirguezTheodore RodriguezDanny RodriguezArmiri RollandRichard RounsavilleOlen RoweSienna RykerManuel SaladoMalcom SampsonTracy SamuelsJermon ScottArile ShatswellRonald ShelleyBill ShipleyCheyenne ShoreKamrian ShultsCody SimpsonPhillip SmithNathan SmithCourtney SmithMichael SmithEthan SmithClint SmithKailiyah SourignavongLong StephanieFrancisca StephensDominic StewartBryon StoetzelChristian StoppelKenneth SumnerQuashaun SwainLyda TabboraJuan Terraza-BritoDakota ThompsonJayden ThompsonJohntae ThompsonAngel Torres JrTrang TranDanita TrolingerDamien TsoodleLogan TuckerDavid TuckerEvian TuckerTexie UdellTara UpshawLarry VanceJohn VangAngel VannBrian VaughanBrandi VoylesJocelyn WalkerDylan WallaceZachary WallerAustin WallsDouglas WatermanNaman WathenJolene WauahooahSindy WaysepappyEva WestKailyana WheelerTravis WhiteNatalie WigingtonAjreonna WilliamsKorion WilliamsKeia WilsonCedric WrightEri YamaguchiJesse YanceyInnocente YanezTerrence YellowfishGenesis YoungBoaz ZinoLouay AamerMaurio AcostaMichael AdkinsSergio AguileraJimmy RobinsonVijaya BodigadlaBrenda ColeRichard HornBilly JenkinsAlthedia VaughtStephanie Velez-ClowersBrian WoodrumMary MilamIrene HembekidesAlfred Apperson JrPaul BarnettKelly BeeneSammie HensonEdward MartinBobby McNuttJames PeavyDonald PhillipsFlint QualkClinton BlakelyJames LarabeeNathaniel ConwayKevin FrostWilliam GarsideYancy LittlemanKaren WhitemouseTerena WinslettLewis AbrosRonald DavisBuddy TiptonTeddy EllisCATRENA SUTTONBrian HaleMonique DanielsPerry DycusMohamed OdowaRiley RoseJorge SanchezDavid CrabtreeRobert SidebottomWillow JohnsonTimothy HendersonJ WilsonSteven Kozak Jr.Paige MooreChristopher BerryhillHomer Castoe, JrJerry CottinghamMark KudskCarey LewisGabriel RodriguezKasey RussellChristopher TeelClinton ThomasMaynor VaileJ. C. GableTrevor SummerallKenneth CookMaria CruzKayla FrisbieMarcus KnightLuis Lopez-GomezWillmott ScottRichard UristaMichael HenrionMark ThomasDeborah FarmerLisa FarmerMelody JonesKitty SimpsonJascie KaywayklaJamie McChurinJustin WalkerHeather PatrickBarbara Johnson-WillardMisty FaulknerMike MinorLea GoulatreJackie UrichDustin ClarkTracy FlorezSherri MinterMarlin RuckerVictor GreenwoodJoseph Lartey IIThai YangElijah CravensCynthia KinneyTiffany MyersChris GrayArmand VernonSandy ReaJorge EscalanteKimberly MullensRobert LiversPenny PeelerLauria BibleAshley FreemanRicky OhlerMaurice SmithStephen HurderKenneth SpencerWanda ClarkDione FoxMartin RowEdwinna or Edwina BullLora McIntireRobert FosterKristi Coppinger (Kidwell)Symone FlowersNathan McGrewWilmer CrawfordOrlandas DensonShawn MartinRufino NasserPatricia TaylorYsia PittsFrancisco SantosSimran AhluwaliaClinton CoteJamie GoodinAngel HernandezPaul Knight JrBilly LangeMiria Lopez-RodriguezJaxen MichaelsEdward ForemanKenia MarisolTravis MurrowShaniqwa OwensRhonda AndersonSavannah BransonDeborah RossChin BowlesMichelle CrawfordGavedencio EscamillaAmy LieblMeredith MedinaApril ReedKassaundra Williams PattersonLeighton WillisFred RomineEarl CashRonald CurbyAnthony LennonBrock McManusWinslow DerekFennell Kai'vonDalton SmithTammy DriverKeosha OliverRogene HelmMarque RhodesSherryl JacquotJames StephensonMildred ShupertCordilia AndersonArchie ChapmanIsaiah JonesMaria JuarezKathy Jo HemphillChelsey ChaffinChester JohnsonAristeo GarciaCharlie Gragg JrJose FierroKelley HarrisPeggy McGuireJudge WillLatricia FippsAnthony MackJarred BrownChristopher ColburnKylee EdenMiguel FraireWilburn JenkinsJames MeekRose Marie TimperleyTeresa CuppsBarbara FerreeMary MestasRobert VanzantKevin FarrisMakaila GarzaRodger OsbornJoann RozelleRobert VirginJoshua ShieldsAnnie JacksonLawrence ColtonJohn EatonKeith ButricksCandy GregorySusan FreehaufHeath ReamsAriel OfieldChristian CastilloKenroy MichaelTony DayAuzayleus HowardEzeakel AllumsMaytte BarreraDanielle BriggsHailey CassadyGenaro CoronadoErik EnriquezWilliam GabrielJuana GaricaGregory HarrisBranaji LylesYesenia RamirezKrystian RiveraZachary WhitakerIsaiah BryantShambrai CarterSamuel CobbsOrlando HamburgerDeveyon StevensonZachary KiesewetterTrinity MillerShalaya VernerPamela TinsleyDustin CarverMelissa DarlingShannon Baldwin HokansonKenneth DietrichRichard HarrisDennis MorrisonJoe KeyRocio TorresTimothy JanesMary JonesJuan OrozcoBradford DelgaritoGeri JohnsonRoy GonzalezMichael ChapmanCharles ClaunchMark InhofeHeather BurrowsJustin CobbRichard McArthurTina BrashearDaryn CollieDonovan NimmoRueben ZavalaKevin BrownOwen RoseJoyce CogburnJosephine CogburnCrystal DittmeyerAdrianna GarciaPshara JonesSteve RadziewiczDonna WilsonLisa McCraryMatthew FaganArssante GloverRoley ButlerMary EtterJerry YellMelissa FloresNichole FieldingSally RawlingsJames KnowlesTimothy Smith