© 2024 Public Radio Tulsa
800 South Tucker Drive
Tulsa, OK 74104
(918) 631-2577

A listener-supported service of The University of Tulsa
classical 88.7 | public radio 89.5
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Families Deal with a Painful Day

William Whittaker, father of 11-year-old murder victim Skyla Whittaker, talks with reporters outside the Okfuskee County Court House.
KWGS News
William Whittaker, father of 11-year-old murder victim Skyla Whittaker, talks with reporters outside the Okfuskee County Court House.

By John Durkee

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kwgs/local-kwgs-841938.mp3

Okemah, OK – OKEMAH, Okla. (AP) Law enforcement officials pleaded today for the public's help in finding the killer or killers of two Weleetka girls on the anniversary of the shootings.

Thirteen-year-old Taylor Paschal-Placker and 11-year-old Skyla Whitaker were found shot to death a year ago today on a rural road near Weleetka.

With the girls' families standing by Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Jessica Brown says investigators "are one piece of information" from making an arrest.

Brown says more than 7,500 man hours have been spent trying to solve the killing with more than 450 interviews and tests on more than 700 pieces of evidence.

Brown says there has been no motive determined for the killings. She does say investigators still believe the killer is from the local area because it is so remote and difficult to find.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.