Report: Oklahoma manhunt suspect has history of child sex abuse allegations
OKLAHOMA COUNTY, Okla. – The man on the run after allegedly nearly decapitating two relatives and shooting two police officers is under indictment for child sex abuse, and was reportedly accused of a similar crime last year.
Michael Dale Vance, Jr., 38, has eluded authorities for five days now and is considered armed and dangerous. Authorities have said he has a hit list and say he may plan to target people connected to the sex abuse case involving a 15-year-old girl.
Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Mark Opgrande said Vance referenced some potential targets during videos he posted live on Facebook while on the run from police, although Opgrande said police were not certain about Vance’s motive in targeting his alleged murder victims, Ronald and Valerie Kay Wilkson.
Opgrande said authorities have warned several people to take precautions while the manhunt for Vance continues. One of those people, according to CBS affiliate KWTV, is Vance’s former boss, Luke Reeve.
Reeve told the station that his fiance’s 13-year-old sister occasionally had sleep-overs with Vance’s daughter, but that in September 2015, the sister came home crying saying Vance touched her inappropriately. Reeve said he fired Vance and that his fiance filed a protective order and a police report for rape. But with lack of evidence, Vance was never charged with a crime.
Shortly after, Reeve said Vance vandalized their property, apparently in retaliation. He showed KWTV a photo of his car with an orange target scrawled on it in graffiti.
In the Facebook video, Vance thanks his sister for “believing him.” He goes on to state: “Everything that was said was all a set-up…I’m not answering the phone. It’s too late now.”
According to Oklahoma State records, Vance was charged in July with child sexual abuse in the case of the 15-year-old girl. He bonded out of jail and was scheduled to appear in court on November 7.
Law enforcement officials have established a hotline to deal specifically with tips regarding the search for Vance. That hotline number is (405) 246-9205 and will be manned 24/7 by U.S. Marshals.