Cops Release Sketch In Murder Of 2 Girls
Oklahoma Police Have Identified A "Person Of Interest," But Say He's Not A Suspect
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Oklahoma State Bureau Investigators released a sketch of a "person of interest" in the murder case of 13-year-old Taylor Paschal-Placker and 11-year-old Skyla Whitaker. (CBS/KWTV)
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These photos provided by Graham Public School in Weleetka, Okla., show Skyla Whitaker, 11, and Taylor Paschal-Placker, 13. (AP Photo/Ruth Kelly Studio)
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Interactive Crime Beat Statistics and specifics on crime in America.
The sketch is of an American-Indian man, about 6-feet tall with black hair in a ponytail and around 35-years-old, said Oklahoma State Bureau Investigators spokesperson Jessica Brown said.
"We just want to talk to him," Brown said. "We think he might have seen something that can help us resolve this case."
According to Brown, the man is not considered a suspect and the Oklahoma State Bureau Investigators have several names they are investigating as leads. A witness reported to agents that the sketched man was standing outside of a single-cab Chevy or Ford white pickup truck on the same road the girls were shot, right around the time the girls were killed.
"We had several witnesses who saw the man and several other witnesses who heard gun shots," Brown said.
Brown said that each day brings more information from various witnesses that could help bring the case to an end.
"I feel confident this is a solvable case," she said.
Friends and relatives attended funeral services for the girls Friday.
Services for Taylor Paschal-Placker, 13, took place at the First Baptist Church in Dewar. The funeral for Skyla Whitaker, 11, was held at the First Baptist Church in Henryetta.
Investigators say they have no explanation for why the girls were gunned down near the small town of Weleetka, a working-class community of 1,000 people, 70 miles south of Tulsa.
On Thursday, crime scene investigators returned to the spot where the girls were found and searched nearby woods. Authorities also announced they had interviewed a witness who claims to have seen the girls just minutes before they were killed.
The girls, who were best friends, were shot a number of times in the head and chest with weapons of two different calibers, leading authorities to think two gunmen were involved.
Several motives have been explored, including a random thrill killing, attempted abduction, a case of mistaken identity and the possibility that the girls happened upon a crime in progress.
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Agent Ben Rosser has said officials suspect a local person was involved because the killings occurred in such an isolated area. Rosser said that nothing is being ruled out but that there is no indication family or friends were involved.
Full autopsy results have not been released, but investigators said it appears the girls were not molested. They noted the youngsters were clothed and the bodies were found only about a half-hour after the girls began walking.
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."





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See all 24 Commentswhen they catch the guilty person we must insist on the death penalty. I am sick of these jerks killing our little one. this stuff is rampant in america. we must give them the death penalty.
Posted by nolibnoneoco
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Why let them off easy?
You think life without parole in prison for someone that killed 2 little girls is going to be *FUN*??
*Best* they could hope for is spending the rest of their life in a 7x9 protective custody cell for 23hrs a day.
Posted by jerr11
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Yea, that''s exactly how I view you. Thanks for the words.
I can see those meds are fogging up your mind.
This is a story about a double homicide in rural Oklahoma!
So, *** does a scandalous book written by an incompetent, headline grabbing California prosecutor about a lame duck president got to do with anything???
EXPLAIN.
What are you Vincent Bugliosi''s literary agent or do you want us all to know how your reading has graduated from the comics?
Either way, yours is an inappropriate comment for this story, DUMMY!
Posted by JEGibbons at 12:06 PM : Jun 14, 2008
As usual, when you ain''t got nothing to say, attack the messenger.
Hey go and out another CIA agent.
Here''s the real news:
For a more compelling story about another murderer on the loose, read:
"The Prosecution of George W Bush for Murder"
by Vincent Bugliosi.
Former LA Deputy DA Mr. Bugliosi is familiar with pathological minds. He successfully prosecuted over 100 murder cases including Charles Manson.
Mostly Bugliosi is a headline grabbing, bug-eyed liberal with an axe to grind!
"The Prosecution of George W Bush for Murder"
by Vincent Bugliosi.
Former LA Deputy DA Mr. Bugliosi is familiar with pathological minds. He successfully prosecuted over 100 murder cases including Charles Manson.
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Posted by onlythereal at 08:52 PM : Jun 13, 2008"
I think in would have been better if "God" prevented the killings in the first place.
Posted by kalcoh at 02:08 AM : Jun 14, 2008
god is always missing when tragic crimes of this magnitude happen, he might be busy playing soduku.
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Posted by onlythereal at 08:52 PM : Jun 13, 2008"
I think it would have been better if "God" had prevented the killings in the first place. Don''t you?
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Posted by onlythereal at 08:52 PM : Jun 13, 2008"
I think in would have been better if "God" prevented the killings in the first place.
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See all 24 Comments