After a long dry spell, the disappearances of sixteen-year-olds Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman are back in the news. It was an incredible case. Lauria was spending the night at Ashley’s family’s trailer in Welch, Oklahoma on December 30, 1999. That night the trailer was set on fire, Ashley’s parents were killed and the two girls vanished without a trace. Since then there have been many rumors and a long list of suspects, but no solid leads.
Well, nearly eleven years after the kidnaps/arson/murders, the police are releasing details about two vehicles seen in the vicinity of the crime scene around the time the first broke out. They are hoping someone will remember something, though I don’t see how a person could remember a passing vehicle after over a decade.
Articles:
The Oklahoman
The Tulsa World
The Charley Project Blog 
All I can say is WHAT WAS OSBI THINKING SITTING ON THIS INFO FOR 11 YEARS? On another note thetowntalk.com has an article on a warrant issued for a man that was declared dead in 1994. he is apparently wanted in connection with the abduction and murder of Lexie Roberts last month.
What a convoluted case this one is….
Looks to me like they might of put out an apb on those cars as soon as they knew about it. Way to go, Keystone Cops.
Also looks like the whole town could of been involved in that case.
Dubious information indeed, serving only to get OSBI’s name in the papers in an attempt to re-polish its badly tarnished reputation, which has taken a beating that began with its part in botching the 1977 Locust Grove Girl Scout Murders case – though overeager prosecutors bear the overwhelming brunt of the blame for that sad debacle.
Did they ever get viable DNA for the Girl Scout Camp Murders? I know the suspect died in prison on unrelated charges not too long after the killings, but I know he had brothers and they could possibly exhume him if he wasn’t cremated. I remember his mother, who is probably long dead now, always insisted that he was innocent and I do know his brothers who said the same thing. Wonder if they would be willing to submit a sample to see if there are any similarities? Probably not.
The DNA tests (from stains on a pillow case at the scene – semen, I would imagine) were done in 2008 and proved inconclusive.
Didn’t Jeremy Jones confess too?
As did Tommy Lynn Sells.
Lauria’s mother was quoted in a newspaper today in regards the tardy OSBI revelations:
“Bible thinks the presence of a film crew for a proposed new documentary-style television show about missing children may have sparked the new information about the truck. She said the crew was in Craig County in September filming and interviewing family members and law enforcement personnel, and may have generated the lead. The show could air in June, although that has yet to be announced for certain, she said.”
why did Tommy Lynn Sells confess? was he all over the country?? I know some people were wondering if he could have killed Darlie Routier’s boys, but he was in prison/somewhere and Proven he could not have killed them….Although Tommy Lynn Sells did kill whole families before. He’s creepy
If Henry Lee Lucas was still alive he would probably of confessed to it too. He confessed to everything else he could think of or the cops mentioned to him.
Gene Hart’s mom and brothers saying he was innocent doesn’t mean a thing. Moms always say that even if the son or daughter got caught red handed.
I remember that guy from Virrginia, Roger Coleman. He was executed for raping and killing his wife’s sister and of course he always swore up and down he didn’t do it. He had his fan club, but he was executed anyway. Finally a couple years ago DNA testing was done and guess what? He did it. He’d been accused several times before the murder of sex assault of one kind or other but there wasn’t enough evidence to charge him, but it was one of these deals where the cops know damn well he did it even if the DA didn’t have enough to work with. His fan club didn’t seem to remember this.
Now, now, Princess, Hart was simply “a convenient Indian.” He had no past history of abusing children, his crimes being abduction and rape – not to say people don’t branch out and broaden their felonious horizons, but Hart was thought innocent by a great many Oklahomans – especially Native Americans in the region who knew him and who would not countenance anyone, friend or foe, committing the heinous crimes that occurred at Camp Scott. It’s more likely that the only murder involving Hart was his own – his “heart attack” occurred the day after authorities confiscated, from convicts at the max security prison in McAlester, enough cyanide to kill 800 inmates; many think some of that cyanide went in Gene Leroy Hart’s coffee and that he was killed by whites in retaliation for the crimes for which he was found not guilty.
You watch too many movies, JA.
See, everybody says oh this or that person would never do this, they never say oh yeah I bet he did, its just like him to do this, even if it was and he did.
Him being Indian doesn’t mean he couldn’t or didn’t do something like that. That’s just as dumb as saying he had to of done it because he was Indian.
Sure – wait; isn’t this thread about Lauria and Ashley? I may have forgotten – but sure, Natives can get up to mischief: the scalps of a thousand settlers attest to it. And yes, GLH was living rough in the woods of the general region. But it beggars belief to think that two plus two equals four here, as there is not a two plus two in the first place – simply one convenient Indian. It takes a maniac to invade a fully staffed Girl Scout camp at midnight and commit atrocities which beggar belief. The late Gene Leroy Hart was not that maniac. Very likely, it was a person with a documented history of sex crimes.
Okay if you want to talk about the Freeman Bible case, what kind of maniac goes in a trailer that’s ocupied by a family that has all these guns and likes to live like militia (sp?) members? Somebody that they knew and werent’ afraid of, b/c if it was strangers or cops or like that there’d be a fire fight.
A good surmise, Princess, a good surmise. Or perhaps it was – maniacs, there had to be more than one – persons who lurked in the darkness just long enough to hide under cover of sleep and of silence, armed persons who burst in or possibly only opened an unlocked country door.
Those kind of people sleep with guns in the bed with them. Lot of times they shoot theirselves or each other or the mailman. Trigger happy.
Truly, I think the initial encounter was in the yard and somebody drew down on Danny Freeman and marched him inside. After that? Mayhem.
What does Unsolved Mysteries think?? Any updates on that story?
I figure serial killers have an informal network. Interstate highways are their favorite places. Serial killer Rodney Alcala might have known serial killer Robert Pickton. Unsolved Mysteries is a great program, but it takes detectives working like bloodhounds to find out stuff like this. When drugs are involved or might be involved, suddenly a lot of people don’t want to be interviewed. Still, God knows who is responsible. God will take care of it, one way or another.
If you don’t mind…I’d rather not wait for your God to take care of it.
Princess…what do you mean by “those kind of people”? How do you know they had all these guns & liked to live like militia members? How do you know they slept w/ them? I never met the Freeman family but I know if they were like this my cousin never would’ve let her daughter spend the night.
This wasn’t a meth lab – it was a family’s home. Another cousin has a lot of guns too – because he & his grandsons love to hunt. His guns are always in the gun cabinet…not tucked under his pillow.
If this case is left up to OK police to figure out then it’ll never be solved. Too many OK police are either ignorant &/or corrupt. My storage unit was broken into in Dec. & they either didn’t know how or were too lazy to fingerprint anything. All they did was note what was stolen & report it to some of the pawn shops around here. At least I hope they reported it??? Of course if the thieves went over to Ark or MO then a lot of good reporting it around here did.
If a witness or the ones who did this are reading this tell us if they’re dead & where they’re at so we can bring ’em home & bury them. Call from a pay phone – send a letter – something.
Dawn, are you cousins with Lauria’s mom? I just found out about this case from a random web search. I look into missing kids’ cases and this one grabbed my attention. My heart goes out to Lauria and Ashley.
I don’t believe that being molested is enough reason to kill. These were honor students. Let’s understand that the majority of people who are molested do not kill. But Princess above has a point – I’ve lived in Georgia and sometimes people do keep guns in our tables and under our pillows. In other words, while some people’s first instinct isn’t to use their weapon, with hunters, I’d think that’d be an instinctual grab. Yet the father wasn’t shot, right? He was hit in the head, and the wife shot. As if someone hit him/knocked him out, then shot the wife when she walked up on them maybe.
I’d like to ask a morose question, but Dawn or anyone related to the girls, do you know if people have checked Unidentified database? To see if the girls’ bodies have ever been found but not identified? I’m so very sorry for this event and family of the girls.
Why is it truly so hard to believe that the girls didn’t just do it…there were accusations of molestation…
Even if Ashley wanted to kill her family, why would Lauria get involved in this? And if the girls did it, where are they now? They were 16 and had no vehicles or money — how did they manage to stay off the radar for this long?
I don’t believe the girls did it but there was money in the house. Ashley had $4,000 dollars saved for a car from working at a convenience store.
one human didnt kill all 4 people one would get away i would say 2-3 people 2 in the house one in the back yard around there in a truck – car but more like a truch so someone could drive an other hold the girls down so know one would hear them ! i still thank the whole 1 person super killer might not be like that!
an welch is small some one was watchen the whole thang an new what was going on like who gonna kill 4 people ?
They lived out in the middle of nowhere. Too far away, I believe from anyone to have heard screaming or gunshots. The police found out when someone driving by saw the house burning.
no some one was watchen them as in knowing when they went to bed when they left not someone seeing all this go down just crazy how something like this could happen an not be solved around welch country is so much woods i mean who could just not know nothing about it an bust in a home out in the country like there just killing people off an for the cops to just not see a body take a little more time an look through the rouble thats where i wouldnt know what to thank!
I can’t speak for the competence or otherwise of the police in this case, but I know of one guy whose house burned down and he with it, and they didn’t find his body for months. He was listed as a missing person; he disappeared the same day as the fire, but when they searched the rubble and couldn’t find him, they thought he must have gone missing earlier that day. But it turned out he’d been there the whole time.
an didnt they fine them are one of the girls i remmber somehting on the news about puting a close to one of the girls are something like that?
but heres my thought on it something piss some peolpe i lived around there my whole life i know oklahoma i know how people act i dont beleave the cops had anythang to do with this not sayen if they where watchen why the hell didnt they that night an stop but everythang is for reason so cops doing it dont thank so girls doing it dont thank dad would let them an if they did why the mom so dad sold some drugs are post to move some dont realy thank anyone would have the balls to do that i thank someone in this whole crazy insane path of terror the cops stop watchen someone was watchen that house an all the guns in the house knew it why wait untill ealry in the mornen while they are realy good alseep why not just bust in there 2-3 in the mornen cause they new they where loaded an not thanken right all the story why the mom cause someone didnt care about money drugs but to make a massmurder killing an to take the girls an have fun ! I dont know though though seems like something bad wrong this this hell are heaven dont but god involed in this wow thats crazy sick there in heaven with there son thats pro why there son was acten like that cause someone was watchen them i swear u do stuff an dont know why its called human sences!
Lauria is my cousin. I dont think I have met her but this all makes me so sad. I just want answers. Its not fair. Its not like they got abducted by aliens. Somebody has to know more. Please somebody help. MY PRAYERS GO TO THE PARENTS. My mom is Susan Bible if you would ever like any help. Im not sure what I can do but I am he re….in Tulsa….
Hey Casey…you still around? I’m looking into this case and have been reading through a whole bunch of different sites. Do you know if your family has looked into unidentified people? I know that sounds gruesome, I’m sorry. Praying for Ashley, and for poor poor Lauria, who merely wanted to have a sleepover and had her whole life changed.
This is too strange. Especially with the lady who works for the hospital being killed after speaking about it. Too many strange occurences that seemingly all fit together. If Ashley’s house was in such a remote location of woods, who the hell was driving by at 6:00am.I get the feeling it is a destination.Meaning if you see that house its because you were going there specifically. Not somewhere you would pass by on your way anywhere.I live in a remote area and the only traffic we get is people who are coming here. I think about this case often. Somebody does no more.I also think this started outside. The unsub gained control of daddy, went inside killed the ‘rents, took the girls and bounced. I could see the cops involved, the passerby seems like some of their tactics but cant see that many people being involved. That Jeremy Jones needs to be looked into. Thats just too convenient.
ya was crazy is the same thang around oklahona is still going on an cant find who did it put this puzzle in one peace around every couple of years it happens i thank an very shure there was more then 1 an there still out there if not atleast one that knows!
The fact that the same M.O is happening repeatedly with the fires is baffling. Is there any criminal activity going on at the same time as the fires? Somebody knows where a piece of this puzzle is .
an its not the lady its the people that was watchen that house for couple of days all the hospital was just a happening that occured is so then one of my friends i went to school with brother did the same thang shane did an they had nothing incomen just happened do be alike an the 2 girls are still gone an if u watch the news around every 5 years to 2 years a house its burned down an knowone knows who did it not sayen its the same but was realy going on ?
wow! That is too weird.There is definitely someone who knows more. I wrote that Jeremy Jones needed to be looked into and started doing some research. I found out that he was traveling in the area at that time. But confessed to get better food and phone privleges. I want to find out if he confessed outright meaning he brought it up or were the detectives just going through a list of cold cases, telling him all the details and he just admits to random cases.I just seen this again on Unsolved Mysteries. Its too weird. There are more pieces to this puzzle definitely. OSBI needs to find it .The family deserves at least that much.
I know it wasnt the poor lady who was killed at the hospital. It is just very odd that she was killed after talking about it. Alot of people who investigate crimes dont believe in coincedences when it comes to criminal situations.
I know it wasnt the poor lady that was killed at the hospital. That is just a strange coincedence that she was killed after discussing it. Alot of detectives and investigators dont believe in coincedences when it comes to crimes.
idk know though its very sad the family are realy good people i guess it dont matter what happen are how are who did it there in better pleace! in peace with god!
Very mysterious case indeed. Who knows if this jones fella did it. Or could he girls of did it. Drug deal gone wrong maybe. Or a police cover up.Or maybe it was a hobo looking for some quick cash. Too many suspects but i would like a solution to this.
A lot of people from that area believed that Craig County Police Department had some kind of hand in it and that is why the case is still unsolved to this day. I was 11 when this happened and was also a student at Welch……Ashley Freeman showed me how to get to art class. She was very kind. Her brother was killed by Craig County police in January 1999. Very sad…..it was also rumored that the man who killed Judith Shrum may be involved but I’m not sure if the police even looked into it……and it’s awful odd how police shot and killed that man who killed the nurse instead of injuring him and finding out information. He knew something and it got covered up really quick!!