Crime Stories

Man found shot to death at South Tulsa apartment complex

Sat, 25 May 2013 13:05:23 -0500

A man is found shot to death in the middle of an apartment complex early Saturday morning.

Tulsa Police were called to the River Glenn Townhomes near 63rd and Peoria around 3:30 Saturday morning.

Officers found the victim, shot in the head near the complex's laundry room.

Sgt. Tim Lewandowski said that its too early in the investigation to determine if drugs or gangs are involved.

Despite the early hour, Lewandowski says several witnesses have come forward to speak with investigators.

Officers are looking for a possible suspect vehicle. It is described as a black Mazda-like sedan with a paper dealer's tag with at least two black males in it.

If you have any information, call CrimeStoppers at (918) 596-COPS.

This is Tulsa Police's 31st homicide investigation of 2013.

Looters arrested in Moore

Thu, 23 May 2013 21:09:00 -0500

As Moore families start to move forward, pieces of metal ripped from people's homes they lost in the tornado is piling up at the edge of yards.

However, there are intruders lurking in neighborhoods and residents are watching for looters.

"That just really bothers me, if you are going to come here you help people you don't benefit from their loss," said Heather Kirchen.

FOX23 News was in Kirchen's neighborhood near Broadway and Fourth Street when Moore police arrested three people for stealing scrap metal.

The back of the suspects' truck was piled with metal scrap.

"We knocked on the door, I promise you that," said one of the suspects in cuffs.

Neighbors say they watched the three suspected looters pick through yards and haul off with their scrap metal. The neighbor who called the police let his voice be heard by the suspects.

"You didn't ask anybody, I was watching you," said Greg Rivera.

Another neighbor watched in dismay as the two men and woman were taken into custody.

"That is pathetic," said Kirchen.

Rivera said he didn't want the men to get away. It was their scrap to make money.

"It's either call the police or do something I shouldn't do," said Rivera. “They just need to stay away."

As one of the suspects was in handcuffs he told the neighbors he was given permission but one of the victim's says she told him not to take her debris.

"He was yanking and pulling on it and I was like I don't know if we want to get rid of that," said Sabrina King.

She didn't want a confrontation but was relieved to see her neighbors jump into action. The suspect's stomped on her rose bushes her late grandmother planted – one of the few things that survived the tornado.

"You don't do that, it's inconsiderate," said King.

A few of the neighbors would like to see ID's required to get into neighborhoods.

"Why should other people get in and randomly walk around," said John Kirchen.

As the suspects were being taken away, Mrs. Kirchen had a message for the accused looters.

"I don't care how hard up you are; everyone in here is harder up than you are," said Heather Kirchen.

Moore police took the two men and woman into custody facing misdemeanor charges for looting a disaster.

Hearing for suspects in Fairmont Terrace resumes Friday

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:41:00 -0500

A preliminary hearing for two brothers accused in the quadruple murder of four women at the Fairmont Terrace Apartments will continues on Friday.

James and Cedric Poore were in court on Thursday. The two are accused of killing four women in south Tulsa in January. The women were found tied up and shot in the head.

The two brothers pleaded not guilty. The Tulsa County District Attorney will wait until after the preliminary hearing to determine if he will seek the death penalty.

Midwest Pest Control burglarized, TPD release photos of suspect

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:57:36 -0500

Tulsa police are searching for a man they say burglarized a Midwest Pest Control on May 6th.

Police released surveillance photos of a man they say robbed the store at 5466 S. 103rd E. Avenue around 9:30 p.m. on the 6th. Police say the man took cash, a laptop computer and a company truck. The truck was later recovered.

Police found surveillance photos of the suspect parking the stolen truck and going inside a convenience store near 41st and Garnett.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 918-596-COPS or text TIP918 to CRIMES (274637).

Wagoner deputies arrest rape suspect

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:45:41 -0500

Wagoner County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested a man suspected of statutory rape on Sunday.

Deputies say they were dispatched to the 14300 block of South 321st early on Sunday morning. After taking the report they interviewed the suspect, 28-year-old Gabriel Blake, and took him into custody.

Blake is a registered sex offender. He faces charges of lewd or indecent proposals to a minor, false or misleading information on his sex offender registration, and statutory rape.

TPD looking for robbery suspect

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:02:27 -0500

Tulsa police are looking for a robbery suspect they say robbed a Walgreens on Monday.

Police say the suspect was armed with a handgun when he walked into the Walgreens near 31st and Harvard. They say he demanded money and told the attendant he would not shoot her if she gave him all the money in the register.

The attendant gave him an undisclosed amount of money and left in a waiting car. Police released surveillance photos of the suspect.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 918-596-COPS or text TIP918 to CRIMES (274637).

TPD needs help identifying burglary suspect

Mon, 20 May 2013 11:05:44 -0500

Tulsa detectives need help identifying a suspect caught on video surveillance video using a stolen debit card.

It happened at a local Walmart on May 9th. Police said the debit card and many other gift cards were stolen from vehicle parked near 7000 E. 89th St. sometime between 10:00 p.m. and 2:30 a.m. on May 9.

Police released the attached surveillance photos hoping someone may recognize the woman. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 918-596-COPS or text TIP918 to CRIMES.

Mother calls police on son for stealing van

Fri, 17 May 2013 21:46:00 -0500

A teenage boy, 15, and his friend went on a joyride in his mom's work van and crashed in a police chase.

"It's like you become a prisoner in your own home and it gets to a point where it's enough," said Lorna Doyle.

She said she gave her son his last chance.

"I had tried all my typical parenting and gave you a first, second, third and fourth chance, but you have to begin to draw the line," said Doyle.

She called police and once they tracked him down, she wanted him arrested.

"I said we are going to press charges. That's my business vehicle, it's unnecessary. He can get hurt; I love him," said Doyle.
Doyle said while police were taking the report, her husband was out looking for the van and the boys and spotted them.

Officers chased the van, which crashed at the water maintenance facility near Pine and the LL Tisdale.

"I think the car is totaled," said Doyle.

At the crash site debris from the van is scattered and the gate is uprooted. Doyle said she used the van for T Town Senior Cab and Services, which transports senior citizens to appointments and other needs.

"I've had an awful business day today. I've been trying to get people around because I have one of my main vehicles down," said Doyle.

She said she had no other choice but to call police and wanted her son to get a reality check in juvenile detention.

"I needed to let him know that there is another life out there, and if that is where you need to be, than that is where you are going to be because I have had enough,"' said Doyle.

She said her son stole her car too many times. One time she was hurt while trying to stop her son from taking off with her van.

"He didn't realize the power of the car knocked me into the street, and I hit my head and ended up in the hospital in ICU,” said Doyle.

She wants parents to understand she's a good mom and her other kids have stayed out of trouble and excelled in school. She said her son has a loving family.

"I am hoping if other parents hear this you can love them all you want but what do they want? Are they loving you back, are they making poor choices? If you know that is what they are making are you doing them a favor by giving them a slap on the hand or getting a slap at all?” said Doyle.
The mother said because of the challenges with her son she started ACT II, Adults Cultivating Teens and Tweens a Second Time.

"ACT II is a place where kids can come, like a safe haven," said Doyle.

She said it is a place where mentors intervene before incarceration.

"ACT II is an opportunity to stop them and cut them off at the path before they get into trouble," said Doyle. "Get help with school work and develop their talents."

Doyle said the program is also a refuge for parents.

"This is also a program for parents to talk to someone and understands someone that can help them find what they are looking for," said Doyle.

She wants parents in her shoes to listen to her message and not to give up on their children.

"If this is the reality that you live in, you better do something the first time, because it's not going to stop," said Doyle.

The mother went to court with her son on Friday, and she said both 15-year-olds are on house arrest. Police said they face charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
Police said during the chase a K9 officer and his dog also responded to call. During the foot chase after the boys, an officer was bit by the police dog. The officer is okay and no one else was injured.
Doyle said is seeking help with her ACT II program and you can contact her at 918-313-7106.

Broken Arrow police arrest man accused of exposing himself

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:49:33 -0500

Broken Arrow police arrested a man accused of flashing a woman and her daughter and stalking them through a grocery store.

According to the arrest report police were called to the Reasor’s at 1100 East Kenosha on a report a man flashed people in the area. While officers were responding they heard a call the suspect had left the scene.

The arrest report shows an officer spotted a man matching the suspect’s description running nearby; the officer detained the man and took him to the Reasor’s.

The report states around 1 p.m. the victim told police she and her daughter was in the car driving behind the store when she saw the man near the curb, as they drove by she said the man lifted up his shirt and unzipped his pants to expose himself to them. The daughter told police she did not see the man do so because she was looking away.

She said they drove off and then saw the man in front of the Reasor’s store. She told police she went inside and told management about it. The woman and her daughter then went grocery shopping, but said they saw the man following them in the store. They reported him to management again and called 911.

Police said the victim and witness both identified the suspect after police took him into custody and he faces one charge of indecent exposure. Black denied exposing himself to anyone.

Man arrested for exposing himself to teens

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:07:00 -0500

Police arrested a man for exposing himself to two teenage girls at a Tulsa park.

Brett Baldwin, 32, faces two charges of indecent exposure for flashing his nude body to the girls at Reed Park near 41st Street and Union Avenue in west Tulsa.

"He just stepped out of the vehicle no clothes on and spread his arms 'hey look at me,’ they both took a look at him, stunned for second and took off running," says Tulsa Police Officer Gene Hogan.

He was patrolling 41st Street and Union Avenue when he saw a truck run a stop sign at Reed Park.

"It was just one of those deals that all came together," said Hogan.

He works in the Riverside Division and says he gave chase after he saw man speeding down the road.

"I see a Ford pickup blow through this stop sign," said Hogan.

The officer turned on his lights and sirens and was able to pull the driver over a few blocks down from the park. The driver told police he was chasing a gold SUV and what happened at the park to his girlfriend.

"'A guy totally exposed himself nude to my girlfriend and my best friend,'" Hogan said, quoting the driver.

With the description of the suspect car, it didn't take long for police to catch up with the suspect less than a mile from the park.

"He was backed in right here (a driveway). Which I thought was really peculiar," said Hogan.

Police say Baldwin was dressed at the time of arrest. The girls told police Baldwin left and came back to the park and that's when the boyfriend spotted and chased him out of the park.

When the girls got to the driveway where police had Baldwin pulled over they were able to identify the suspect.

"They both said 'that's him and that's the vehicle,'" said Hogan.

The two 16-year-old girls told police they were walking on the trail when they saw a man expose himself in the parking lot near the baseball fields.

"We are not going to tolerate that kind of behavior here. That's very blatant to do that,” Hogan said.

Jail records show Baldwin was released from jail shortly after his arrest. He posted a $10,000 bond. FOX23 News search online court records and he has a clean criminal record.