You can bet the farm these guys will recant their confessions, say they were coerced, and plead not guilty. Then we can look forward to friends and supporters crafting a story, in which these guys were the angelic victims of racist white cops and prosecutors. We'll be paying millions for their upkeep and trials.
Thanks to reader-researcher-legman, David in TN.
Tulsa police say park shooting victims robbed, executed
By JERRY WOFFORD, BILL SHERMAN & JARREL WADE World Staff Writers
Published: 9/21/2011 2:29 AM
Last Modified: 9/21/2011 8:39 AM
Tulsa World
Two victims of an execution-style killing apparently were out on a romantic stroll Sunday night when they were "senselessly" gunned down, police said.
Carissa Horton, 18, and Ethan Nichols, 21, were found dead Monday morning at Hicks Park in the 3400 block of South Mingo Road. Horton was a week away from turning 19.
"These kids appear to be innocent folks, and these suspects appear to have ambushed them," Sgt. Dave Walker said.
Darren Price, 19, and Jerard Dwaine Davis, 21, have been arrested on two complaints each of first-degree murder and robbery. They are being held without bail.
Police said the victims were forced to their knees and were shot in the head after the robbery.
Nichols and Horton had arrived at the park to take a walk about 9:25 p.m. Sunday, Walker said.
Both Davis and Price told police that they ambushed the couple in the park with a motive to rob them but then decided to kill them, according to police reports.
Price and Davis then left in Nichols' car, a 2001 Pontiac Grand Am, about 11:20 p.m. Sunday, police allege.
Horton's and Nichols' bodies were found about 10:45 a.m. Monday along a walking trail by a couple walking their dog, police said.
Horton was a freshman at Oral Roberts University, majoring in music.
Clarence Boyd, dean of spiritual formation at ORU, said students who knew Horton were shocked by the news of the deaths.
"It was very traumatic," he said. "The young people were shook up about it." He said they have since come together in prayer and unity.
Boyd met Tuesday with several members of Horton's family, who came down from Keokuk, Iowa.
"When parents lose a child, that's devastating," he said. "It's horrific. It didn't have to happen."
Boyd said Horton loved ORU in her six weeks there.
Nichols also was from Keokuk, Iowa, and had attended Southeastern Community College, according to his Facebook profile. He had since moved to the Tulsa area and worked at Blue Bell Creamery's Broken Arrow plant.
His funeral services are pending with Hayhurst Funeral Home in Broken Arrow.
Horton's services are pending with DeJong-Greaves Funeral Home in Keokuk.
On Tuesday, a steady flow of students took the elevator up into the prayer tower on the ORU campus. A prayer vigil was held that evening.
Jessica Fitzgerald, an ORU sophomore who was the resident adviser on Horton's dormitory wing, said Horton was "very talented."
"I used to love to listen to her sing with her roommate," she said.
Fitzgerald described Horton as quiet, but "we had some good conversations," she said.
Students were sobbing and praying together at a Monday night dorm-wing meeting at which the deaths were announced, she said.
Oral Roberts University President Mark Rutland sent an email to faculty, staff and students Monday evening, notifying them of Horton's death.
He said the entire ORU family has come together in prayer.
"We know how to rejoice together, and we know how to weep together," Rutland said.
"We'll just continue to process it. It's like culture shock."
He said he was not aware of any other ORU student ever being a homicide victim.
Nichols' family called in a missing-person report Monday morning and described his vehicle, which police learned had been taken from the park, Walker said.
Police searched all apartment complexes within 10 square miles of Hicks Park and found the car at the Salida Creek apartments in the 10100 block of East 32nd Street. They watched it until two men, one of whom was identified by police as Price, were seen getting into the vehicle. Officers then attempted to stop the vehicle, but it sped off, Walker said.
The car crashed at the entrance of an apartment complex after a short chase, and the occupants fled on foot. Officers caught them and took them to the Detective Division for questioning.
Officers found the victims' cell phones in Price's possession, according to his arrest report.
The report states that the information provided by Price was "consistent with the position the victims were found (in) at the crime scene."
The other person taken into custody after the chase was released, but officers learned about Davis' possible involvement, Walker said.
Davis was located by homicide detectives, agents with the Northern Oklahoma Violent Crimes Task Force and Tulsa police warrants officers about 11 p.m. at an apartment complex near 31st Street and Mingo Road, Walker said.
He was taken into custody after a short foot chase, his arrest report states.
Officers obtained a search warrant and found a 9 mm pistol in Davis' bathroom, according to his arrest report. The pistol was "consistent with the two 9 mm shell casings recovered from the crime scene," the report states.
Tulsa County court records show that Davis was charged in January 2009 with possession of a stolen vehicle. He pleaded guilty in April 2009, and the next month, District Judge Milley Otey deferred a finding of guilt and sentencing for two years, with community service, restitution and drug-testing requirements during that period of probation.
District Judge William Kellough issued an order to accelerate the deferred sentencing in February 2010. Davis' sentencing initially was scheduled for July 6, 2010, but when he did not appear for court on that date, a bench warrant was issued for his arrest, court records show.
After his arrest, a series of other delays occurred. He was later released from jail again to allow him time to complete his restitution requirements, court records show. His sentencing was last scheduled for Nov. 7 of this year.
Before the other suspect, Price, was apprehended, he gave an interview to a KTUL, Channel 8, reporter at the park several hours after the bodies were found. In a video of the interview, posted on KTUL's website, Price told the reporter that he takes his children to the park to play, and he questioned the safety of the area.
"I think it's real crazy," Price says in the video. "I bring my kids out here to play. It's got to raise a question. Is it safe even to walk around this town with people just dying and stuff like this? It's not cool. ... It don't make me feel too easy, and I stay close by here."
________________________________________
World Assistant Editor Mary Bishop contributed to this story.
Original Print Headline: Police say victims robbed, executed
A few days ago I commented on how there were so many of these cases we couldn't keep up with them. Then this happens.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what Jeffrey Toobin would have to say about this crime.
David In TN
Sadly it was just confirmed yesterday that this is the same Darren Price that in 2009 "jumped" my son with 3 other juveniles. Beat/Stomped him to unconciousness and left him for dead with intentions of stealing his car and IPod. Mr. Price was convicted in juvenile court but obviously the system still failed the Nichols and Horton families. I'm thankful Mr. Price didn't have a gun on the night he attacked my son. My prayers are with the families.
ReplyDeleteGoing right where you belong you animals. Here's hoping they both never see daylight again.
ReplyDeletefucking niggers.
ReplyDeleteSorry NIGGER TRASH. It's going to get worse with this filthy NIGGER WANNABE we have posing as president. Nobody to blame but sorry WHITE's rolling over and pissing on themselves. Too gutless to have pride in THEIR race!
ReplyDelete