Abduction probe continuing
BY JARREL WADE World Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
7/14/10 at 7:56 AM
Police were still searching for one man Tuesday in connection with the abduction of a 3-year-old boy at Maple Park near 15th Street and Detroit Avenue on Monday.
Several officers were dedicated to the search for Gary Keefer, 44, on Tuesday but had not caught him by evening, Sgt. Brian Hill said.
On Monday evening, officers spotted Mitchell Sebastian Keith, 52, at a McDonald's parking lot and arrested him after a brief struggle. Police said he identified the second man who participated in the abduction as Keefer.
The child's mother told police that she and her son were sitting on a park bench about 5:30 p.m. Monday when two homeless men approached, and one sat on each side of them, Hill said. The men then began talking about abducting and killing the 3-year-old, Hill reported.
Police said the woman reported being "frozen in fear" and said the men were blocking her and her son from escaping.
The woman said one of the men then snatched the boy away from her. They ran away with him, but she was able to wrest the child back as the men hit her and pulled her hair, Hill said.
Officer Jason Willingham said the child's mother did everything she should have when confronted with the situation.
The abduction happened quickly, and the woman and the men had not had a dispute before it occurred, he said.
"We don't know what the true motive is," Willingham said.
Keith remained in the Tulsa Jail on Tuesday on complaints of kidnapping, resisting arrest and public intoxication, with his bail set at $100,600. Court records indicate that Keith is a felon who has recent alcohol-related convictions.
Officers were following a lead Tuesday night from a woman who said she saw Keefer on Tuesday afternoon — the most recent sighting police have had.
World Staff Writers Nicole Marshall and Matt Barnard contributed to this story.
Jarrel Wade 581-8367
jarrel.wade@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
ONE DOWN, ONE TO GO
Gary Keefer and Mitchell Sebastian
Keith: Police are searching for Keefer in
connection with the Monday abduction
of a 3-year-old boy at Maple Park. Keith
was arrested Monday evening and jailed
on complaints of kidnapping, resisting
arrest and public intoxication.
ONE DOWN, ONE TO GO
Gary Keefer and Mitchell Sebastian
Keith: Police are searching for Keefer in
connection with the Monday abduction
of a 3-year-old boy at Maple Park. Keith
was arrested Monday evening and jailed
on complaints of kidnapping, resisting
arrest and public intoxication.
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