Skyla Whitaker, 11, & Taylor Placker 13 - Found Murdered - #14

[frogjustfrog]

I'm just sitting here dumbfounded. My eyelasshes are glued together from the tears (and mascara) my house hasnt been cleaned well in weeks. I started sewing a jacket and now lost interest. I havent felt this much trauma over news since the bombing at OKC )I worked 2 blocks from there a few years before it happened, and I used to eat lunch with the girls on the plaxa of the Murrah building alot of nice sunshiney days).
I really feel this is taking it's toll on me. I am becoming afraid of everyone I dont know. We have more than our share of shootings in Tulsa this last couple of weeks.

I need another Christian retreat. I'm feeling weak. I really may have to take a break for awhile and just read email. This whole thing is confusing and frustrating and I cant stand it that a vicious cold blooded monster is walking among us and OSBI cant even get it right!
Keep me in your prayers if you would. I may just watch occasionally and checkmy messages.

 

[GetSmart]

KR2tonenow; ]Although, I am glad they have finally released the 911 call, I can also see why they waited. Highly emotionally and traumatizing. I gather this was Skyla's Moma and cannot comprehend the pain she must be going through to see her daugther and friend murdered.


I was thinking it was Vicky, Taylor's mom / grandma

 

[Fairy1]

I'm just sitting here dumbfounded. My eyelasshes are glued together from the tears (and mascara) my house hasnt been cleaned well in weeks. I started sewing a jacket and now lost interest. I havent felt this much trauma over news since the bombing at OKC )I worked 2 blocks from there a few years before it happened, and I used to eat lunch with the girls on the plaxa of the Murrah building alot of nice sunshiney days).
I really feel this is taking it's toll on me. I am becoming afraid of everyone I dont know. We have more than our share of shootings in Tulsa this last couple of weeks.

I need another Christian retreat. I'm feeling weak. I really may have to take a break for awhile and just read email. This whole thing is confusing and frustrating and I cant stand it that a vicious cold blooded monster is walking among us and OSBI cant even get it right!
Keep me in your prayers if you would. I may just watch occasionally and checkmy messages.

:blowkiss: No worries - they will find this (these) . I have no problem with LE withholding information - that tells me they know what they're doing. Though our intentions are good - we are NOT LE. We are the public and they know what they're doing by holding back details. This is a bewildering case to be sure. But please don't be discouraged. They are most likely on the right track and we should not second guess their actions. IMO, of course! Take care of yourself...

 

[KR2tonenow]

KR2tonenow; ]Although, I am glad they have finally released the 911 call, I can also see why they waited. Highly emotionally and traumatizing. I gather this was Skyla's Moma and cannot comprehend the pain she must be going through to see her daugther and friend murdered.I was thinking it was Vicky, Taylor's mom / grandma

I'm going by memory here, this is the one case, I actually was involved on from the first thread (don't have the time to catch up on the others, but I TRY!!

Anyway, I recall the Grandpa saying that he called the mother of Skyla and she was going down the road in her car the opposite direction. He stopped her, then asked her to call 911.

I think that's why there's the, "What? Whaaaat?... because she had no clue at first what the issue was. Then of course, "they" meaning family members or witnesses, pronounced them dead and she just snapped. Quite understandably.

I think OSBI rationale behind the releasing of the 911 tapes is drawing on the communities emotions and hoping "someone" will feel guilty enough to come forward. JMO

 

[frogjustfrog]

:blowkiss: No worries - they will find this (these) . I have no problem with LE withholding information - that tells me they know what they're doing. Though our intentions are good - we are NOT LE. We are the public and they know what they're doing by holding back details. This is a bewildering case to be sure. But please don't be discouraged. They are most likely on the right track and we should not second guess their actions. IMO, of course! Take care of yourself...

Thank you honey, God bless you and Godbless you all!

 

[Fairy1]

Thank you honey, God bless you and Godbless you all!

:blowkiss::blowkiss::blowkiss: Take care!

 

[GetSmart]

I knew I had this ..


Taylor's grandfather, Peter Placker, found the girls about of a mile from their home after the girls went for a walk Sunday evening and didn't return. Placker went looking for the girls after Taylor couldn't be reached on her cell phone. Placker used Taylor's cell phone to place a 911 call, Ross said.

http://www.newsok.com/clues-sought-in-slaying-of-girls-in-weleetka/article/3255420/undefined?pg=1

Oh Frog Bless your heart. I just read above. Will be praying for your comfort..

 

[GetSmart]

Here is another article that I had forgot about. After I re-read it humm

A neighbor, Ross Padgett, said drugs and the criminal element are worse than ever.

"Marijuana, meth, coke, you name it," he said. "A number of the meth cookers are right over in this community. They are busting them so hard in the cities, they are going rural." He lifted his shirt to reveal a 9 mm pistol, saying, "I'm not worried."

He said his 10-year-old son, Dakota, arms himself with a knife when he goes out to play on the family's land. The boy has also been trained with a gun.

"I'm good with a shot," Dakota said. "I'm pretty good with almost any gun."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/10/national/main4168258.shtml?source=mostpop_story

Hey RoseRed you might be right about the gun thing sorry

 

[anneinchicago]

Arbeka Indian Church? And the suspect/witness might be native American?

 

[FlowerChild]

Catch Up Here:
Posters: Please feel free to add anything I do not have noted

Sunday June 8th

Skyla Whitaker had spent the previous night with her best friend Taylor Paschal Placker at the Placker Home on County Line Road (about 5 miles N of Weleetka OK, aprox 2 miles E of US 75 and about 5 miles S of I-40)

The Area
Weleetka has a population of 950 people with a median income of $21,400, ($15,000 under the Oklahoma median income).

Okfuskee County has a population of 12,000,with 18 people per sq. mile. It is 75% rural and 25% urban. 23% of Okfuskee COunty residents are below the poverty line. 23% of the population is American Indian, 10% African American and 1.6% Hispanic - with the balance being White.

Crime in Okfuskee County
There was 1 murder, 0 rapes, 0 robberies, 3 assaults, 23 burglaries and 16 auto thefts in 2005
There was 1 murder, 0 rapes, 0 robberies, 19 assaults, 37 burglaries, 27 thefts and 12 auto thefts in 2004

The Aprox Timeline (Sunday June 8th)
4:30 PM Rose calls Skyla on her cell phone and speaks with her - everything normal Rose is at the Chancey Bad Creek Farm where her mother is employed
?:00 PM Girls leave Placker House to walk to bridge 1/2 mile North - accompanied by Taylor's Chihuahau - the dog was found the next day near the Bad Creek Bridge
5:08 PM Rose calls Skyla's cell phone and gets no answer
5:10 PM Rose calls the Plackers on their cell phone (they are not at home, but we have no info as to where they were or how long they had been gone from home)
5:15 PM The Plackers call Taylor on her cell phone, get no answer
5:20 PM The Plackers arrive home
5:30 PM Peter searches for the girls and discovers girls dead on side of road 1/4 mile N of house
?:00 PM Peter and or Vicky Placker call 911 (a portion of one 911 call from we believe Vicky Placker was released by OSBI July 21)
?:00 PM Peter Placker calls Rose Whitaker and tells her the girls are dead (he said "they're gone, we came home and found them dead" Per Rose)
5:41 PM LE/EMT dispatched to scene
?:00 PM Rose Whitaker arrives at scene driving in from N of the crime scene - she is flagged down by Peter Placker and prevented from approaching the bodies
?:00 PM Rose Whitaker calls her Mother Claudia Farrow (who is just N at the Chancey's Bad Creek Farm) and tells her the girls are dead and to come
?:00 PM 1st Responders arrive at scene, stopping at the Placker home 1st (they thought the girls were found dead at the Placker home)
?:00 PM Scene is secured - the road is closed at both the N and S intersections
?:00 PM Claudia Farrow (Rose's Mother, Skyla's GM) arrives driving in from N of the crime scene
?:00 PM OSBI called in on the case by Okfuskee County Sheriff

The Crime Scene
The girls appear to have walked to the Bridge over Bad Creek, and were returning home when they were killed. They were within sight of the Placker driveway
Both Taylor and Skyla had cell phones - there was no call for help made by the girls and they were facing the killer(s) when they were shot - it appears they had no time to react or run
Family members at the crime scene were Peter Placker, Vicky Placker, Rose Whitaker and Claudia Farrow
The family members have all been cleared of involvement
The crime scene is located on the West side of County Line Road 1/4 mile N of the Placker home. Taylor is lying with her head toward the road in the shallow ditch alongside the road. Skyla is about 4' N and W of Taylor, her head also facing the road.
Bullet casings and an unidentified footprint are found in the road, just a few feet from Taylor
The girls were NOT sexually assaulted and were found fully dressed
Two guns were used on EACH girl - one high powered, one lower powered
Neither of the guns was a shotgun
The autopsy reported the girls shot multiple times in the face and chest - some reports say head and chest - the autopsies have not been released

The POI
There is a POI wanted for questioning in connection with the crime
He is described as a Native American appearing (perhaps part caucasian) male, 6' tall, slender build, brown eyes, black hair down to the small of his back, may be worn in a pony tail. At the time he was wearing a blue long-sleeved shirt, a black ball cap and jeans with boots. He was driving a Ford or Chevy White PU truck with a standard single cab and a chrome/silver strip of trim down the side. The truck carried an OK tag.

3 witnesses saw the POI in the area, but only one saw him ON County Line Road near the Crime Scene - the other two witnesses saw the POI on a road connecting to County Line Road
1 witness saw the girls walking S on County Line Road near the crime scene
3 witnesses heard the gunshots - 2 of those witnesses are members of the Kelough family who live about a mile away from the crime scene

The Sketch Artist is Harvey Pratt, OSBI - he is a 40 year veteran investigator and former Asst Director at the OSBI in addition to being a highly respected (and accurate) forensic artist http://www.harveypratt.com/

Cleared Local Persons
A truck of local teenagers was target shooting with a shotgun in the area earlier that day, but were cleared of any involvement in the murders
Tim Creech (RSO Weleetka) has been questioned and cleared

The Victim's Families
The Plackers moved from OKC 3 years ago and the Whitakers moved from Kansas

Skyla had just turned 11 and Taylor had just turned 13 Taylor and Skyla attended Graham School - their school has 100 attending students from Kindergarten thru 12th grade. Skyla and Taylor were in a combined class of 5th and 6th graders, there were 4 boys and Taylor in the 6th grade, Skyla and 4 other girls and 1 boy were in the 5th grade
Skyla lived with her mother and stepfather (Rose and William Whitaker) and younger sister Jayme about 8 miles S of Henryetta near teh IN Turnpike - at least a 20 minute drive from The Placker home. The Farrows (Jimmy and Claudia) live next door to the Whitakers - Claudia and Jimmy Farrow are both employed by D Chancey - who owns Bad Creek Farms (about 3 miles NW of the Placker home) - Claudia as a housekeeper and Jimmy as a farmhand. D Chancey Also owns the Placker home
Skyla's older brother Edward Gordon is currently in a Kansas jail and will soon be going to prison on manslaughter charges for his part in a drug deal gone wrong.
Skyla also has two older sisters - Christina Whitaker of Mo and Rosita Gordon of Tulsa
Rose Whitaker was not raised by her mother Claudia - but by an Aunt. Jimmy Farrow is not Rose's father.


Taylor Paschal Placker lived with her Grandparents Peter and Vicky Placker - whom she called mom and dad - we do not know who Taylor's Bio parents are.
Taylor has 2 brothers Jessie Paschal and Chris Placker and 2 sisters Jennifer Paschal and Linda Kaye Placker - Chris lives in Sallisaw and the other reside in Weleetka
The Placker family has had several members who have served time in jail and prison and some family members are married to or dating convicts currently incarcerated.Vicky and Peter Placker do NOT have any criminal record.

 

[fran]

Awesome summary FlowerChild!

:clap::clap::clap::clap:

Thank you so much,

fran

 

[SeriouslySearching]

When did LE say they cleared Timothy Creech? I didn't see that.

Also, FC..maybe that should be in a separate thread so you can update it easily. It is a great rundown of the case!! Thanks!

 

[Busylady]

Thank you FC great post. We might want to add where alot of this information came from so its not taken as absolute fact. Might avoid alot of questions from posters asking for links etc because of the different information than what has been reported by LE or media.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Thanks, GS! Yes, the site has been having problems all night. Drives me crazy, too!

BusyLady~ Very good idea!

 

[FlowerChild]

Thank you FC great post. We might want to add where alot of this information came from so its not taken as absolute fact. Might avoid alot of questions from posters asking for links etc because of the different information than what has been reported by LE or media.

The Information with sources is on the New "Catch Up" thread. Most of it is fact, per OSBI or interviews with Placker or Farrow

Yes, Creech has been cleared per Local LE, this has come from several sources - I believe Okfuskee Sheriff's Dept said he was in jail when the murders occurred. He is still in Weleetka where he lives with family members.

My Opinion

 

[SeriouslySearching]

AMY, ILLINOIS RESIDENT: Hi, Nancy. God bless you and your darling twins.
~snip~
Well, the previous woman, you know, mentioned about family, but I was wondering, you know, all family like cousins, aunts, uncles, and also like the girls were close together when they were shot. Could it have been someone they knew?

GRACE: To Jessica Brown, PIO with Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, has all of their extended family been interrogated or at least investigated?

BROWN: We have located what we believe is most of the family on both sides and talked to them, and we`re pretty certain we`ve done a good job of that. And also, you`re talking about the two girls being so close together and could they know their killer. That`s something that`s up in the air at this point in time. We believe that is a possibility.

ANN: Nancy, I have a question. Is there anywhere -- have the police looked into the backgrounds of the children`s parents to find out if there was any sort of thing such as gambling debt or a drug debt or anything like that at which point, you know, somebody would, basically, you know, set out revenge by hurting these two beautiful little girls and killing them?

GRACE: What about it? To Jessica Brown -- she`s the public information officer with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

Jessica, I know that may be a farfetched scenario, but has it been investigated?

BROWN: That`s one of the first things we do, Nancy, is look at the family, those closest to the victims, and we make sure we know everything about them, to find out if there`s any reason that they would do it or someone else would do it in retribution to them.

We have not found that.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0807/21/ng.01.html (Bolded by me)

 

[ThoughtFox]

Thanks so much, FlowerChild!!! :clap: That's so helpful!

And thanks for that transcript, SeriouslySearching.

 

[ArizonaGiGi]

Tom'sGirl

At this link on the right it says EXTRA: Full press conference on Weleetka update (it isn't) however at the beginning of the tape of the 911 yu can hear the caller screaming "run, run". In other audios, they have that part cut.

http://www.news9.com/global/story.asp?s=

*******************************************************************************************

Thanks Tom'sGirl


Click on the EXTRA; full press conference link.


If you listen very closely in the beginning when the phone is dialing 911 you will hear a tiny

childs voice in the background state "he thinks their dead" or "she thinks their dead"


This is right before the caller says "RUN RUN".

Anyone have an idea who the child might be? Did Skyla have a little sis?

Sorry if this has already been addressed today and I missed it.

 

[RoseRed]

I am so not getting it. What do you really think the reason is for all the mis-info...including AMW..errrrrrrrrr

There are always different versions within the news and media. Mis-Communication most likely. AMW is not a good source of information. They have wrong information on a few of the cases I have followed. I do not even go to their web site any longer. :twocents:

 

[Beyond Belief]

I am wondering if when 911 answers it says "say 1 if this is an emergency". it sounds like she is shouting one.