Posted on 08/19/2008 8:03:48 AM PDT by T-Bird45
Agents test fire weapons to narrow leads in the June 8 killing of the girls near Weleetka.
WELEETKA — More than three dozen guns from the Weleetka area were test fired over the weekend as authorities worked to narrow their leads into the June 8 slayings of two girls.
Jessica Brown, spokeswoman for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, said more than 60 letters were sent out to registered owners of .40-caliber handguns, asking them to voluntarily submit their weapons for testing on Saturday and Sunday at the Okfuskee County Courthouse at Okemah.
Brown said about 40 of those owners showed up with their guns, which were test fired outside the courthouse.
She said about five owners contacted the OSBI to say they no longer owned the weapons, although they did provide the names of the new owners.
"We'll be checking on them," Brown said, as well as the 15 or so registered gun owners who did not volunteer for the test firings.
The fact that the OSBI is looking for a .40-cailber handgun is the newest revelation into the murders of Skyla Jade Whitaker, 11, and Taylor Paschal-Placker, 13.
Both were shot several times and left for dead about four miles northeast of Weleetka. Two guns were used in the killings, although authorities never would identify either one of the calibers used — until now.
Brown would not identify the other caliber of bullet used in the slayings.
She said OSBI agents have yet to analyze the bullets from those test firings to see if they match the bullet used in the slayings of the girls.
Also, Brown noted, agents know the make of the .40-caliber gun used in the slayings, although she would not divulge that information.
OSBI agents have also tracked the sales of .40-caliber ammunition sold in the area, "and there's been plenty," Brown said.
State agents are still working on the theory that two shooters were involved, and that they are from the Weleetka area.
Agents have already noted that given the remote location of the crime scene, the killers would have to be familiar with the area. The nearest highway is U.S. 75, about three miles away.
The girls were shot a total of 13 times. The youngest, Skyla, was shot eight times, according to the state medical examiner.
Of the two, Skyla was shot the most with the .40-caliber weapon, according to Brown. Autopsy reports released a week ago said spent bullets were recovered from both bodies.
The medical examiner noted two different sizes of bullets, which were described as small- and medium caliber.
Skyla and Taylor were described as best friends. On that Sunday afternoon, Skyla was visiting Taylor at her home when they decided to go for a walk to the Bad Creek bridge, about a half-mile north of the Placker home.
Authorities said the two had made it to the bridge and were returning to Taylor's home when they were ambushed. Their bodies were found by Taylor's father around 5:30 p.m. that day in a shallow roadside ditch, fewer than 1,000 feet from the Placker home.
A makeshift memorial of stuffed animals, flowers and crosses still marks the crime scene.
From the outset, OSBI agents have been mum on the findings of their investigation.
What was known was that they recovered spent bullet casings from the scene, along with a tire track. They've also located some witnesses who were in the general area around the time of the killings.
They are still looking for an elusive person of interest who also was seen in that area.
That person was described as a Native American male, wearing a long ponytail. He was described as in his mid-30s with a slender build. He was seen driving a white Ford or Chevy pickup truck.
Since June 8, OSBI agents, aided by the Okfuskee County Sheriff's Office, plus other state and federal officers, have been working to solve the crime.
Several weeks ago, the OSBI released part of the recording of the 911 call made by Taylor's mother in the hopes someone withholding information into the killings would come forward after hearing the tape.
The killings shocked the nation and drew international attention.
Brown would not say when or if test firings will be conducted for the other caliber gun used in the slayings.
She said anyone with information about a .40-caliber weapon should call the OSBI at (800) 522-8017.
Correction to writer’s name: Manny Gamallo
“which is a myth in OK as there is no central database for gun info or a method by which one could be put together.”
The firearms “InstaCheck” IS a gun database. It is maintained by State and federal agencies.
The correct response to this 'request' to 'volunteer' is "Get a Warrant."
L
Hmmm....
No, I don’t think so.
When I purchase a weapon the weapon information is not provided, just my name and personal information to see if I’m on a “list of wanted” or something someplace. The information about the weapon is NOT provided to anyone.
I would volunteer, what happened to those poor girls is terrible, that is, unless I had something to hide.
“Wow is that going to set some folks afire ...”
I thought the same thing . Unless something has changed since I kept records , they would have to go to each FFL dealer and sift through his records . That involves a hell of a lot of assumptions . I don’t blame the cops for using every tool available to solve a crime , but those who said the record keeping was not a step to enable confiscation need to pay attention .
I’m thinking... that it might have something to do with the concealed carry permit thing?
Not sure how OK works these days. Here they don’t ask you what kind of weapon you carry, so no one knows unless I tell them what I carry.
Next time there is a hit and run accident all car owners should be prepared to line up as suspects.
No. It is not.
It is a database of who is eligible or ineligible to own firearms.
It is not a data base of what firearms are owned by whom.
They NICS system is prohibited from retaining information on what firearms were purchased by what individuals.
To trace firearms, the ATF traces a firearm by serial number from the manufacturer to the dealer who sold it. The dealers are required to keep records of to whom they sold firearms, and respond to traces on individual firearms.
State or local agencies may have their own gun registration system, but NICS is not a gun registration system.
NICS is an instant criminal background check administered by the FBI.
When you purchase a firearm, the dealer takes your identification information and calls the FBI with it. The FBI informs the dealer whether or not you are prohibited from owning a firearm.
By law, they are not supposed to keep any record of the firearm you purchase.
Not exactly. Info about the weapon IS provide to someone. Both you and the dealer complete the ATF Form 4473. The dealer adds the weapon S/N, make & mdl among other things. Once the transaction completes the dealer files the form and the ATF is at liberty to inspect it. Its not at all uncommon for the ATF to ‘browse’ 4473s looking for particular weapons (usually of the non-PC variety). They photocopy those and take them back to the office where it’s speculated they enter a (illegal) database.
That’s the theory of it. It’s not uncommon for govt agencies to be non-compliant w/ the law.
Should citizens be expected to volunteer DNA samples for unsolved sex crimes ? Lets hear from the “if you got nothing to hide” contingent .
Like the welcome mat in my garage says “Come back with a warrant”...
I have no control over that. It's above my paygrade.
I'm not on fire, and agree 100% that what happened to those girls is nothing less than pure evil. That is why I would much prefer to see the limited law enforcement human and monetary resources actually being used to seek justice instead of running a public relations campaign that will convince the public they're doing something by harassing law abiding gun owners.
If this effort actually leads to the identification of the killer, you sir, may bring me the biggest helping of crow under glass and freely gloat whilst I gladly choke on it.
“...Lets hear from the “if you got nothing to hide” contingent.”
My response to that line of “reasoning” is this: “Since I don’t have anything to hide, you have nothing to look for, so get off my porch and be on you’re way.”
Good answer!
This is exactly what makes this kind of thing just bone-headed stupid.
You know you didn't murder those girls, so you're just wasting valuable resources that could be better directed looking for the perp.
And if you did have something to hide, you'd be crazy to volunteer for any such 'testing'.
Do the cops really think the weapon used is going to be volunteered for testing? If they do, they should really turn in their badges and get a job more in line with their intellectual horsepower.
Running carnival rides springs to mind immediately...
L
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