OK OK - Rickey Kutej, 43, and Rodger Osborn, 60, McAlester, 26 March 2003

[Deleted member 199554]

NamUs #MP10531

Name: Rickey Joseph Kutej
Missing Age: 43
Sex: Male
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 220 lbs.
Race: White
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Clothing: Mostly wore blue jeans and tank or t-shirt
Eyewear: Glasses
Date of Last Contact: March 26, 2003
County: Pittsburg County
Investigating Agency: Pittsburg County Sheriff's Office
Phone: (918) 423-5858
Agency Case Number: 03-1469

Details of Disappearance

Kutej disappeared with his friend and coworker, Rodger Osborn. They worked at a garage owned by Osborn, near 5th Street and U.S. Highway 270 in Alderson, Oklahoma. They were last seen on the morning of March 26, 2003 in McAlester, Oklahoma. The two men planned to go to the garage to complete some odd jobs.

Later that day, the police were summoned to the garage because it was empty. They found the garage open, but deserted. Someone had been working with a bulldozer, and there was an overturned ladder and a small amount of blood on the ground.

Authorities theorized one of the men fell off the ladder and hurt himself, but there is no record of either Osborn or Kutej seeking medical attention. Neither of them have ever been heard from again.

Osborn and Kutej may be traveling with a black 1999 Dodge Ram 3500 pickup truck with Oklahoma license plates and custom aluminum parts. The circumstances of their disappearances are unclear.

Source: The Charley Project



NamUs #MP7727

Name: Rodger Lewis Osborn
Missing Age: 60
Sex: Male
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 260 lbs.
Race: White
Hair: Gray or partially gray
Eyes: Blue
Clothing: Always wore blue jeans and t-shirts
Eyewear: Prescription eyeglasses with transitional lenses
Footwear: Always wore Nikes
Jewelry: Watch gold rope chain with eagle on it
Tattoo: His name on upper right arm
Date of Last Contact: March 26, 2003
County: Pittsburg County
Investigating Agency: Pittsburg County Sheriff's Office
Phone: (918) 423-5858
Agency Case Number: 03-1443

Details of Disappearance:
Osborn disappeared with his friend and coworker, Rickey Kutej. They worked at a garage owned by Osborn, near 5th Street and U.S. Highway 270 in Alderson, Oklahoma. They were last seen on the morning of March 26, 2003 in McAlester, Oklahoma. The two men planned to go to the garage to complete some odd jobs.

Later that day, the police were summoned to the garage because it was empty. They found the garage open, but deserted. Someone had been working with a bulldozer, and there was an overturned ladder and a small amount of blood on the ground.

Authorities theorized one of the men fell off the ladder and hurt himself, but there is no record of either Osborn or Kutej seeking medical attention. Neither of them have ever been heard from again.

Osborn and Kutej may be traveling with a black 1999 Dodge Ram 3500 pickup truck with Oklahoma license plates and custom aluminum parts. The circumstances of their disappearances are unclear.

Source: The Charley Project

News Articles
Moore Man Awaits Word on His Son
Two Men Haven't Been Heard From Since March 25

 

[fred&edna]

I wonder if he's the same Ricky as mentioned here:

United States of America, Plaintiff-appellee, v. Gustavo Dejesus Ruiz, Defendant-appellant, 946 F.2d 901 (10th Cir. 1991)

I know his testimony was several years before his disappearance but the guy convicted was a big dealer/supplier to Oklahoma per the report below (possibly putting Kutej at risk?).

Federal Jury Convicts Drug Supplier

 

[Deleted member 199554]

I wonder if he's the same Ricky as mentioned here:

United States of America, Plaintiff-appellee, v. Gustavo Dejesus Ruiz, Defendant-appellant, 946 F.2d 901 (10th Cir. 1991)

I know his testimony was several years before his disappearance but the guy convicted was a big dealer/supplier to Oklahoma per the report below (possibly putting Kutej at risk?).

Federal Jury Convicts Drug Supplier

Good find. The name is unique so it sounds like it's the same guy?

It's strange that the business owner -- Osborn -- is missing, too.

 

[fred&edna]

Good find. The name is unique so it sounds like it's the same guy?

It's strange that the business owner -- Osborn -- is missing, too.

The fact that both are missing might suggest the testimony had nothing to do with their disappearance. It's a strange and interesting case.

 

[ralyla]

I am in the process of researching my family history and through Ancestry discovered a second cousin once removed, Rickey Joe Kutej. I was shocked to learn through Ancestry that he was missing and immediately came to Web Sleuths to see if there was any information. Unfortunately, I do not have any contact with that side of the family and my Great Grandmother, Rickey's Great Aunt, passed a while ago. Thank you @producerinatx for opening this thread. Praying for answers.

 

[indicolite22]

Search team Adventures With Purpose recently cleared a few local lakes in the search for Rodger and Ricky:

 

[indicolite22]

The fact that both are missing might suggest the testimony had nothing to do with their disappearance. It's a strange and interesting case.

What if the older man was a witness and was taken, too?

If both their vehicles were found at the garage, whose truck did they go missing in?

 

[indicolite22]

Here's a news article from April 2003: Moore man awaits word on his son

Kutej said his son told him he was leaving with Osborn to consider building a carport at Osborn's shop, and that he would only be gone a few days.

Kutej said he did not get worried until he had not heard from his son after three days. Ricky Kutej usually checks on him because of his poor health, the father said.

I'm thinking perhaps they had some other business to conduct that was risky. Did the authorities find out whose blood was found at the garage? Or could they have had a fight and one took out the other and left the area?

Last known location (presumably the garage in Alderson) according to NamUS: 34°53'59.2"N 95°41'26.4"W · Alderson, OK 74501

Missing Person / NamUs #MP7727

View NamUs missing person case MP7727 for Rodger Lewis Osborn missing from Alderson, Oklahoma. Date of last contact: Mar 26, 2003. NCMEC case number: --.

namus.nij.ojp.gov

Missing Person / NamUs #MP10531

View NamUs missing person case MP10531 for Rickey Joseph Kutej missing from Alderson, Oklahoma. Date of last contact: Mar 26, 2003. NCMEC case number: --.

namus.nij.ojp.gov

 

[fred&edna]

What if the older man was a witness and was taken, too?

If both their vehicles were found at the garage, whose truck did they go missing in?

I don't think I was able to locate any info about Osborne also being a trial witness but it is possible. From what I remember... a LOT of cocaine was being moved from FL to OK and there were big players in the federal case/s. I wish we had more news/details about this case.

 

[Iwasthinking]

I'm here after the AWP episode. Can someone please tell me the police tested the blood in the garage and whose it was? Thank you

 

[fred&edna]

I'm here after the AWP episode. Can someone please tell me the police tested the blood in the garage and whose it was? Thank you

I don't think so. Law enforcement told AWP that neither man had a criminal history. I wonder if either or both worked as an informant even after the 90's case against Ruiz. Also, Jose Alberto Munoz (another trafficker from FL) was also convicted using CI's.

 

[Bree1950]

What about Mr.Farley who had a business across from them and was the last person to see them alive? I’m assuming their types of work could be noisy so he probably didn’t hear anything. I was wondering if anyone had found a statement from Mr.Farley that may change the timeline?

 

[ralyla]

Rule outs:

UP6171 12/26/2005 Pittsylvania VA
UP14360 8/14/2015 Bland VA
UP1984 4/30/2003 Cuyahoga OH
UP14518 4/3/2010 Shenandoah VA
UP6637 10/7/2006 Fairfax VA
UP12854 5/23/2014 Cuyahoga OH
UP6278 7/10/2007 Botetourt VA
UP10908 8/29/2012 Fairfax VA
UP11248 8/20/2012 Fairfax VA
UP7605 7/21/2010 Mecklenburg VA
UP2672 4/5/2008 Prince Edward VA
UP7809 8/24/2007 Pawnee OK
UP763 12/16/2003 Hennepin MN

 

[Pennysmom1]

Rodger Lewis Osborn – The Charley Project

Rodger Lewis Osborn - Oklahoma Missing Person Directory

Details and Pictures of Rodger Lewis Osborn, Missing since March 2003

www.missingin.org

Rodger Lewis Osborn - Oklahoma Cold Cases

Rickey Joseph Kutej (not pictured here) and Rodger Lewis Osborn have been missing from McAlester, Oklahoma since March 26th, 2003. The two men went to Rodger’s shop in Alderson, Oklahoma, not far from McAlester. They were friends and co-workers. They planned to work on some odd jobs around the...

oklahomacoldcases.org

Rickey Joseph Kutej (not pictured here) and Rodger Lewis Osborn have been missing from McAlester, Oklahoma since March 26th, 2003. The two men went to Rodger’s shop in Alderson, Oklahoma, not far from McAlester. They were friends and co-workers. They planned to work on some odd jobs around the shop which was located near 5th St. and US Hwy 270.

Later in the day police were called to the garage because no one was around but it was open. They found that someone had recently been working with a bulldozer. They also found a knocked over ladder with blood on the ground nearby. Investigators theorized that one of them fell off the ladder and hurt himself but neither of the men received medical care or sought medical care anywhere.

Rickey preferred to be called Rick. He was 43 at the time of his disappearance. He was 5’10-6’2 and 225lbs with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Rickey was balding and wore glasses. He was possibly wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

Rodger was 62 at the time of his disappearance. He was 6’3-6’4 and 260lbs with graying brown hair and blue/hazel eyes. Rodger wore glasses with transition lenses. He had a gray beard and mustache. He was likely wearing a watch, a gold rope chain with an eagle pendant and possibly jeans with a t-shirt and Nikes.

They were likely driving a black 1999 Dodge Ram 3500 pickup truck with Oklahoma plates and custom aluminum parts.

 

[Pennysmom1]

Rickey Joseph Kutej – The Charley Project

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Kutej, circa 2003

Ricky Joseph Kutej - Oklahoma Cold Cases

Rickey Joseph Kutej and Rodger Lewis Osborn (not pictured here) have been missing from McAlester, Oklahoma since March 26th, 2003. The two men went to Rodger’s shop in Alderson, Oklahoma, not far from McAlester. They were friends and co-workers. They planned to work on some odd jobs around the...

oklahomacoldcases.org

<<Rickey preferred to be called Rick. He was 43 at the time of his disappearance. He was 5’10-6’2 and 225lbs with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Rickey was balding and wore glasses. He was possibly wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

Rodger was 62 at the time of his disappearance. He was 6’3-6’4 and 260lbs with graying brown hair and blue/hazel eyes. Rodger wore glasses with transition lenses. He had a gray beard and mustache. He was likely wearing a watch, a gold rope chain with an eagle pendant and possibly jeans with a t-shirt and Nikes.>>

 

[Pennysmom1]

Rickey Joe “Rick” Kutej (1959-2003) - Find a...

Rick was working with a friend, Roger Osborn, when they went missing. The last known date of them being alive was March 26th when they were shopping in McAlester, OK. Rick left behind three children; Amy Miller and twins Brooke and Blair Kutej. He is survived by his father Joe Kutej and sisters...

www.findagrave.com

Rickey Joseph Kutej - Oklahoma Missing Person Directory

Details and Pictures of Rickey Joseph Kutej, Missing since March 2003

www.missingin.org