First, if you are unaware of how heartbreaking and wildly unexplainable this case is, I will list a few links below to some websites, along with some podcast recommendations (if that is your jam).
Second, why am I bringing this case to light once again? This case has always burned a whole through me. It does not entirely add up. There are too many moving pieces for this case to be tied up with a pretty bow and put on a shelf. I want to know more, and I am asking upon my Sleuths to guide me in this.
The best site:
HOME
The second best site:
Camp Scott | Abandoned Oklahoma
Podcasts: Crime Junkie & Morbid
Overview: Michelle Guse, Doris Milner, and Lorie Farmer were three young girls having the all-American camping experience at Camp Scott Girl Scout Camp, near Locust Grove Oklahoma on June 13th, 1977. The camp consisted of 8 tents, 7 for the campers and one for the counselors. (Prepare yourself to be enraged with how the camp is set up with these young children...) Think of a sideways 'U', the top left of the U is the counselors tent, with the campers tents forming the rest of the letter. Guse, Milner, and Farmer were in the last tent, farthest away from the counselors, out of sight from their tent being blocked by the dining hall/activities center. Through the night, with screams being heard by counselors and campers and flashlights being seen in the woods, someone or more than one person killed and sexually molested the three girls. The perps then carried the girls (some zipped closed in their sleeping bags, all varying injuries) around 150 yards from their tent, over to the counselors side of the campgrounds. The rest of the story... is where things get weird.
Before continuing, it is worth mentioning none of this was handled well by the Girl Scout Administration or police at this time... just as an example, previously before this certain week where the girls came to camp, the camp admin found a note stating that someone was going to kill three girls in a tent. They thought it was a prank..... We'll leave it at that.
When the police arrived, the wooden floor platform of tent number 7 was covered in blood. The perp seemed to have attempted to wipe the blood using towels and mattresses either before or after moving the girls. There were also multiple foot prints found inside, outside, and around the tent. (the tent, is exactly what you are thinking. Triangle shaped cloth being held up in the middle, with one slit down the front. Safe, right?) Fingerprints on the bodies, a flashlight with newspaper wadded up and shoved into the flashlight to hold the battery in place, a piece of cord, and duct tape has all been found. Eyeglasses and an eyeglass case is also found, the case belonging to a counselor at the camp.
A ranch near by heard the story of the girls and reports he had recently had things stolen through the night. The "Wonderdogs" are then called into the scene to assist (ones name is Butt.....amazing.)
This is when the first "real" suspect is named... Gene Lerot Hart. Hart escaped from the Mayes County jail four years prior to the murders and has eluded police ever since, leaving a nasty taste in some of the police force's mouth. *cough* Pete Weaver *cough*
Sheriff Pete Weaver announces a murder weapon has been found. The DA, agents of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and everyone else have no clue what he is talking about- as that has not been found. Weaver announces the murder weapon is a crowbar, and that this crowbar also has fingerprints.
While the tracking dogs are still doing their thang, rumors arise that a local Cherokee Medicine Man in the area (who is well known) has placed a curse on the tracking dogs and predicts that they all or just one will die soon. Later in the day on the 18th of June, one of the dogs dies from heat prostration.
June 19th- no one knows how to can't and they are throwing out numbers left and right about how many suspects they have in the case. DA says no suspects, Weaver says one suspect, OSBI says 3. WHAT?
June 2oth, another one of the "wonder dogs" was killed without explanation when he ran out into heavy traffic, completely randomly. Spooky.
June 21st, National Guard is called in for an all out man-hunt. Another suspect is named. This time, he is a former camper near a Boys Scout Camp that is located nearby the Girls Scout Camp who apparently had stolen a hatchet and some supplies from the Boy Scout Camp.
STICK WITH ME BECAUSE NOW IT GETS A BIT CONFUSING...
June 22nd, officials find two photographs found with three woman pictured. Some officials say they were found near the bodies, some say near some caves about two miles from Camp Scott. Fast forward to the next day, officials disclose the photo which were found were developed by Gene Leroy Hart (first suspect) while he was working at a photo lab at the Granite Reformatory. He supposedly would develop photos for an amateur photographer/prison guard.
June 22nd- July 1st, manhunt manhunt manhunt. Heat seeking instruments and the whole 9 yards to try and locate not only Gene, but anyone who could be connected. Through this time, officials have posted up at the camp site to ensure no disruptions happen to any leftover evidence while the manhunt continues. Many officers report spooky, unexplained noises, feelings, sightings, etc. At one point, a pair of shoes belonging to Denise Milner was placed on the steps of the camp directors home, WHILE OFFICERS WERE GUARDING IT. Yet, they have no clue who did it. These shoes were confirmed to be one of the victims by the parents.
And then the case ends up going absolutely, positively, 100% cold. With nothing else to gain from the campsite, they release it and it is never opened again. Butttttttt, the autopsies are released on the girls, reporting no fingerprints whatsoever.
In April 1978, after hunting all this time, Gene is finally caught just bro-ing out at a friends house belonging to Sam Pigeon. He is arrested and transported directly to the OK State Penitentiary. Please make note here, the dude was wearing womens eyeglasses when he was caught. State agents took a picture with Gene (wtf) and I swear to God, it looks like a bunch of 30-40 year old dads out fishing after a few cold ones.
I want to make sure and add in a few points regarding Gene before ending this and opening this thread to the masses for input....
1. Gene has prior convictions. But not just any convictions. Convictions of abducting two women (one being pregnant), attempting to rape and kill them, but also stole their eyeglasses from them. The women ended up escaping and reported he was wearing their glasses and mocking them. Remember the eyeglasses and case that were stolen from the campsite?
2. The same women, while being raped, reported him making disturbing and weird moaning/animal/grunting noises. The same noises were described in the woods the night the three girls were killed.
3. The newspaper found shoved in the flashlight was also found in one of the caves nearby. Also in that cave, was some clothing, food, etc. hinting that someone had been living there. That newspaper had prints officials believed to be Gene's when he was hiding from police.
4. Don't forget the picture coinky-dink. The picture of the three women found in the cave, that Gene had also developed for his photography buddy awhile back while he was serving his time.
Now-
This is all weird. Circumstancial. Odd. What happened to the last "Wonderdog"? So many questions. I need some answers and some thoughts and I leave it to my fellow sleuths. I'm going to leave it here and not get into the trial quite yet...
Bring on the crime solving.
MsCrime