Tulsa World: Alarming trends seen in killings

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Alarming trends seen in killings
Several victims were unintended targets of shootings, police say.

Police gather in a liquor store parking lot where a 36-year-old man was shot to death on Feb. 6. MATT BARNARD / Tulsa World

By NICOLE MARSHALL World Staff Writer
Published: 7/5/2009 2:21 AM
Last Modified: 7/5/2009 8:34 PM

The Homicide Report: Search homicides from 1997 to present. Each record includes details of the case. Also see videos and stories about the more than 500 homicides in Tulsa from 1998 to 2007.

In the first six months of this year, 34 homicides have occurred in Tulsa. That's 15 more violent deaths than detectives investigated during the same time last year.

But through further analysis of the city's homicides so far in 2009, more disturbing trends emerge.

In several cases this year, police say the victims were unintended targets of shootings. In other cases, police say the killers attempted to stage crimes and mislead investigators. In still others, the "no snitch" culture continues to be a factor.

Sgt. Mike Huff, supervisor of the Tulsa Police Department's Homicide Unit, said the year had a busy start. An additional homicide has occurred in July, bringing the total for the year to 35.

However, a review of the last 12 months of homicides shows that the pace of violent deaths has been steady for some time. Between July 1, 2008, and June 30 of this year, police investigated 71 homicides, Huff said.

"That is a really, really busy stretch of time. Plus, there has been a great complexity of the murders in that time frame and several in-depth investigations," Huff said, citing the September homicide

of Neal Sweeney as one example.

A man who police say was the triggerman in the September contract killing of the businessman and former University of Tulsa football player was charged last month with first-degree murder, and the investigation is continuing. Terrico Bethel, 23, is accused of fatally shooting Sweeney at his business, Retail Fuels Marketing, 3158 S. 108th East Ave., on Sept. 4, court records state. Sweeney died at a hospital the next day.

"There have been times when people in this squad did not have days off for weeks at a time," Huff said.

Nine officers follow up on investigations in Tulsa's Homicide Unit, which also has four crime scene detectives. They stagger their days off so the unit is covered seven days a week, he said.

As is typical, most victims of homicides during the first half of this year were shot to death, with 24 people dying from gunshot wounds. Beatings caused four deaths; three people were burned; two were stabbed; and one baby died from shaken-baby syndrome. Of the 34 homicides during the first half of the year, detectives consider 28 to be solved.

Staged crime scenes

"The success that this unit has had is not an accident," Huff said. "From the rookie patrol officer to the most veteran homicide guy, it is teamwork. People need to be proud of that success and that these officers really work together to try and protect the citizens the best that they can."

Huff said many of the cases have involved either drug use or disputes over drug sales.

"And then you have people out there who are staging crime scenes to try to throw us off," he said, referring to the slaying of Allison Rebecca "Becka" Castaldi.

Castaldi's body was found inside a 55-gallon drum in Nowata County on April 20, days after she disappeared. Police maintain that her fiance shot her, cleaned the crime scene and then tried to make it appear that she was missing. Randall Wagers is charged with first-degree murder in her death.

The first homicide of the year claimed the life of 15-year-old Kordero Coleman. The teenager was at a friend's house in the 4300 block of North Elgin Avenue and was not the intended target of the Jan. 4 shooting, police said. He died later at St. Francis Hospital.

Someone standing outside shot into the house, police said. Murder charges are pending against Dominique D. Jones, 17, and Kevon T. Silmon, 20.

Youths with weapons are behind many of the homicides, police said.

"If people would absolutely stop kids from walking out of the house or getting into a car with guns," Huff said. "If people take responsibility to disarm their children, I think we would see a lot less violence. Kids have no business having guns for any reason."

Random violence claimed the life of the oldest victim so far this year, 54-year-old Norris Walton. Walton had struggled to overcome adversity his entire life after being paralyzed from a childhood vaccine, but in the end, he was struck down by a stray bullet.

While making his way home in his wheelchair on Jan. 7, Walton got caught between a drive-by gunman and his intended target at Apache Street and Cincinnati Avenue, police said. Walton, an innocent passer-by, was shot in the chest. Two men face trial in his death.

The Homicide Unit also investigates shootings, suicides and endangered-missing persons cases. Through June of this year, the detectives have investigated 27 suicides, Huff said. In the past 12 months, 57 suicides have occurred in Tulsa.

"People never hear about suicides because they are a private issue that we handle delicately but investigate thoroughly," Huff said.

Homicides in the first six months of 2009

34 people were killed from January through June

Six victims were female, and 28 were male

Four victims were 17 or younger

Six cases remain open

The majority — 24 victims — died from gunshot wounds

Monthly breakdown

January — 5

February — 6

March — 4

April — 7

May — 7

June — 5

Nicole Marshall 581-8459
nicole.marshall@tulsaworld.com By NICOLE MARSHALL World Staff Writer

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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "Sunday: Tulsa homicides show disturbing trends," which was published on 7/4/2009.

	Report Comment mzvtul, Tulsa (7/4/2009 3:02:30 PM) And yet, our Mayor insists on taking more law enforcement officers off of the streets. Smooth move, Kathy.
	Report Comment tao4mind, Enid (7/4/2009 3:18:16 PM) Tulsa with an estimated population of 384,037 being about the same size as Oakland California, 373,910 in 2008, Oakland recorded 124 homicides. So far this year (as of June 29), the city has recorded 47 homicides. Throughout America these disturbing trends emerge. It seems everytime local law enforcement catches a criminal the Department of Corrections and courts release two after they have completed their education in our institutions of career criminals we call prison, and join street gangs. Justice in America is a business plan of corporate magnitude. Feel safe now?
	Report Comment Popeye, T-Town (7/4/2009 3:31:52 PM) Ignorance, unintended pregnancies, parentless children, broken families and a current acceptance of substandard and moraless behavior fuels these statistics. You can think whatever you want. You can be as advanced and intelligent a person as possible. The hard facts can't be outrun: Children need parents that love and control them. All the legislation in the world, all of the prisons we can build, all of the guilt ridden entitlements we can give; will be useless until we can re-establish the family. If we don't make it a crime to abandon a child you brought into this world, or hold the birth parents responsible for the actions and crimes of their children, we'er out of our minds!
	Report Comment Popeye, T-Town (7/4/2009 3:32:31 PM) we'er = we're !
	Report Comment 2ndjoyce, BA (7/4/2009 3:45:34 PM) I agree, Popeye, but how do we educate or show people how to do that? These absent parents must have learned this behavior somewhere..... Where is the breakdown? Families? Schools? Churches? Neighborhoods? Drugs? Lack of motivation or self esteem? All of the above? Do you think we should push for legislation to develop curriculum to address the problem? We have failed miserably but how can we turn it around?
	Report Comment ab, (7/4/2009 4:08:14 PM) Popeye, that is extremely well put! I am glad to see a post from someone who is advocating responsible parenting instead of blaming everyone else (schools, parents, tv, etc). We all have struggles in life but these do not exonerate or excuse us from our parental responsibilites if we choose to have children. I also believe that blaming our forebears only gets us so far...at some point we have to choose to break the vicious cycle and give our kids a fighting chance to make it in this dangerous world. Thank you for your post!
	Report Comment yep, Tulsa County (7/4/2009 4:33:35 PM) Agree with the previous post about family and responsibility. Nice to talk about the causes but the fix is very hard. How do you get people who want to blame others to make a change? How do you get people to stand up when they've spent a lifetime blaming others for their situation? How do you get people to take responsibility when the 'system' (government, welfare, Al Sharpton, etc) tell them the system owes them something? We've an ever-increasing section of society who feels they're entitled to benefits and privileges, and that earning/working for them is a foreign concept. This basic mindset leads to a lack of accountability and responsibility.
	Report Comment oldrustytulsa, Tulsa (7/4/2009 5:15:02 PM) Admit a Crime ridden America City,its all over the country, they refer to gun carrying citizens to the wild west of yesteryear, well its Now, today, the old west was tame compared to the crimes we have today.I would rather have a gun and not need to use it, than need a gun a not have one.
	Report Comment Few Clothes, Austin, TX (7/4/2009 6:48:42 PM) I'm not surprised about the count. This long hot summer isn't going to help deter the killing.
	Report Comment GeneTulsa, Aubrey (7/4/2009 6:56:01 PM) Thank you Democrat Mayor Taylor, for not having enough police to protect the citizens of Tulsa..........
	Report Comment Ron Ballew, Lawton (7/4/2009 7:56:05 PM) People need clearly defined rules with swift and definite punishment for breaking those rules. We do not have this in society today. The rule against murder is not clearly defined. Murder is glorified on TV and in the movies. Murder is glorified in gangs and gangster movies. A good movie is one in which the good guy kills lots of bad guys and then rides out of town into the sunset. This is glorifed murder without a trial or a judge. The punishment for murder is slow and indefinite. Maybe a murderer will go to jail, and maybe he will be executed, but probably not. Murder needs swift and definite punishment, or you will get more of it.
	Report Comment okie ridgerunner, Small Country Town State Line (7/4/2009 8:24:35 PM) Popeye said it.
	Report Comment okie ridgerunner, Small Country Town State Line (7/4/2009 8:28:40 PM) It is time to stop blaming every one else or others and do something about it. i do not have the answers. but there is a lot of smart people in tulsa who can put their heads togeather and come up with something.or at leaste try.
	Report Comment HarleyRyder55, Tulsa (7/4/2009 8:45:11 PM) In response to the headline for this article, what comes to mind is....YA THINK?? Come up with something the readers of TW don't already realize.
	Report Comment Skylark, Mounds (7/4/2009 9:08:31 PM) this is the left wing way. get use to it
	Report Comment MikeinTulsa, Tulsa (7/4/2009 10:13:49 PM) No no no, this can't possibly be true. We've been loosening every gun restriction. You can now carry a gun anywhere, even at your place of business whether your employer likes it or not. You can even carry a gun in a national park, even though it is still illegal to use it there. But with all of this gun freedom, the murder rate is increasing? How could that be? According to the NRA, unfettered access to firearms will eliminate crime completely. This headline must be wrong.
	Report Comment Bubba, Bixby (7/4/2009 10:36:02 PM) "No no no, this can't possibly be true. We've been loosening every gun restriction. You can now carry a gun anywhere, even at your place of business whether your employer likes it or not. You can even carry a gun in a national park, even though it is still illegal to use it there. But with all of this gun freedom, the murder rate is increasing? How could that be? According to the NRA, unfettered access to firearms will eliminate crime completely. This headline must be wrong." Do you honestly believe that gang bangers go to the effort of getting a concealed carry permit? I doubt that they are willing to pay $50 and commit 8 hours for the class, pay another $25 to the sheriff's office, and another $100 to the OSBI for a background check, especially when they cannot legally own a handgun until they are 21.
	Report Comment Ron Ballew, Lawton (7/4/2009 10:47:58 PM) As long as criminals kill other criminals there is no problem. When they kill unintended victims it indicates that criminals need more target practice and firearms training so they can hit their target. While they are in jail we should teach them how to shoot more acurately so they can hit their intended target. Firearms training is good for everyone.
	Report Comment Bullhead, Nicut (7/4/2009 10:58:43 PM) Bubba, love your comment. You hit the nail on the head, brother. These bangers/burglars/killers are NOT going to waste their time following the law only to break the law.
	Report Comment Pastor Rich, Tulsa (7/5/2009 12:44:06 AM) The truth of the matter is that we all need Jesus Christ. He said to go and preach saying - Repent! For the kingdom of God is at hand! the god of this world, Satan, has convinced man that we are our own gods and in control of our own destinies. We are taught early that truth is relative and that there are no absolutes. It is a lie! Jesus IS the truth and we must surrender ourselves to Jesus by being crucified with Him on the cross, so that the resurrection life of Christ will dwell in us with love.
	Report Comment Arwen34, Tulsa (7/5/2009 7:02:35 AM) What the heck is up with this crap? "People never hear about suicides because they are a private issue that we handle delicately but investigate thoroughly," Huff said.Legeropublis. Omneque auctus caperene et recia sendam iam auscrisse caverem umentem popoteris. Imihi, quo vivernimilii potis? Ut ac furorti lientempl. Natquam patrarit. Forbis horturnu senatiusum puliemquo egilica nisum et? Um tuam eterum optiertes spimoendam horsulis aris? Ex sen virmis, foribent videferitem iaciissimus pratam in vehem ocres vissunum, unc ia se cul habus pra Sp. Lum dem cotiem octuro imus hilia intius re audentri pon hosterisses publie int. Tem ia omnemquis; notia res? Maio, C. Inam iginguludet, consist vivasdam. Perfica eliquit ad Catus; esitem auctuam audeperita videnterum ocupes nos en tem conte fauden Etrectu sulibentem hoc, que ina, Catquam. Tumus, ex sent. Serbiss entrare igit, nox simissim furs atifectum patatum tellari bussis etidiena, quodit quo esserus es! Sernimus, te vidio publis, Catiam halarebem dita, condet; ium quonsua rei sulutereis. Ude hortium norunihil vigna, ut am iaet dii pl. Quonsul emeresi dessest urorum. Num tem supiors egit, crebut audessili, eoruntra consus, furo, ubliam. Are nos ompra? Tio et pro, quam ca; no. Ximenes porae ace di con teludem ocrei fit; ni inguloc tuderce rehemus, publici patum vis hos consult urnirte riocchui pes rei posto atus oma, ne tatque rehenat, dius, aus bonsuam tabenatus. Habessilibus intum dem fauctemquit, ut viriam nostrur la L. Mus tatiam pes faudem remus. Ent? Ginemne muspiocto ermius, quam auristius forae, querem dit, ex silin verfectantin ves fac vit. Condam ponsimm overis fin
	Report Comment HarleyRyder55, Tulsa (7/5/2009 9:39:42 AM) Well Arwen34, Dans les six premiers mois de cette année, 34 homicides ont eu lieu à Tulsa. C'est plus de 15 morts violentes que les détectives de l'enquête au cours de la même période l'an dernier. Mais grâce à une analyse plus approfondie de la ville d'homicides en 2009 à ce jour, plus des tendances inquiétantes apparaissent. Dans plusieurs cas, cette année, les policiers disent les victimes ont été la cible de tirs non intentionnels. Dans d'autres cas, la police a tenté de dire les assassins de mettre en scène des crimes et induire en erreur les enquêteurs. Dans d'autres encore, le «non Snitch" culture continue d'être un facteur. Mike Huff, superviseur du Service de police de Tulsa de l'unité d'homicide, a dit l'année a été fort occupé départ. Un autre meurtre a eu lieu en Juillet, ce qui porte le total pour l'année à 35. Toutefois, un examen des 12 derniers mois d'homicides montre que le rythme de la mort violente a été constante pendant un certain temps. Entre le 1 Juillet 2008, Juin et 30 de cette année, la police a enquêté sur 71 homicides, dit Huff. "C'est une très, très occupé étirement du temps. De plus, il ya eu une grande complexité de l'assassinat dans ce laps de temps et de plusieurs enquêtes en profondeur», dit Huff, citant les cas d'homicide de Neal Septembre Sweeney comme un exemple.
	Report Comment HarleyRyder55, Tulsa (7/5/2009 9:40:16 AM) LOL
	Report Comment plm, (7/5/2009 10:05:33 AM) We need better prosecuters and more hanging type judges in our justice system.
	Report Comment rogerq, Pyeongtaek, South Korea (7/5/2009 12:40:58 PM) Why is half this article in Latin?

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