Owachige Osceola was a 27-year-old woman who was found dead in her apartment in Norman, Oklahoma, on September 25, 2013. Her death was initially ruled as “undetermined” by the state’s chief medical examiner, despite evidence of injuries and signs of a struggle at the crime scene. However, a detective who has been working on the case for years believes that she was murdered by a suspect who has escaped justice for nearly a decade. This article will explore the details of Owachige Osceola’s death, the investigation that followed, and the challenges that remain in solving this cold case.
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Who Was Owachige Osceola?
Owachige Osceola was a descendant of the chief of Florida’s Seminole tribe, and had moved from Anadarko, Oklahoma, to Norman, to start a new life after a divorce. She lived alone in an apartment on Ridgecrest Court, and was described by her friends and family as a generous, loving, and cheerful person who always helped others. She worked as a cashier at a nearby gas station, and was also pursuing a degree in social work at the University of Oklahoma. She had a passion for Native American culture and history, and was involved in several tribal activities and events.
How Did Owachige Osceola Die?
On September 25, 2013, some of Owachige’s friends came to visit her at her apartment, as they had not heard from her for a few days. They noticed that the front door was kicked in, and no one answered when they knocked. They called 911 and asked for a welfare check on Owachige. When the police arrived, they found the apartment in a mess, with furniture and items scattered on the floor. They also found Owachige’s body lying under a blanket on the bed in her bedroom. She had bruises all over her body, and injuries on the back of her neck that were consistent with strangulation. However, the autopsy report that was issued by the state’s chief medical examiner did not confirm the cause or manner of death as homicide, but rather as “undetermined”. The report stated that there was no conclusive evidence of asphyxia, and that the injuries could have been caused by other factors, such as a fall or a seizure.
Who Killed Owachige Osceola?
The police investigation that followed Owachige’s death faced several challenges and obstacles. The first person of interest that the police identified was a man named “Moose”, who had been in contact with Owachige and had allegedly tried to kill her. According to a social media post by Owachige, Moose had withdrawn $500 from her account the day before her death. However, Moose had a solid alibi and was cleared of any involvement. The police then focused on another suspect, who was known as “Cocaine Rob”. He was a drug dealer who had been seen with Owachige on the night of September 23, 2013, and had also been dropped off and picked up near her apartment on the morning of September 24, 2013. The police believed that he had killed Owachige during a robbery or a drug deal gone wrong, and had left behind his DNA and fingerprints at the crime scene. However, the police could not arrest him, as the medical examiner’s report did not support the homicide theory, and the district attorney’s office refused to file charges without a definitive cause of death.
What Is the Current Status of the Case?
The case of Owachige Osceola’s death remains unsolved and open, but there is still hope for justice. Detective Jim Parks, who is part of the Criminal Investigations Division of the Norman Police Department, has been working on the case since 2017, and has not given up on finding the truth. He has sought the help of the FBI and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner’s office, who have reviewed the original autopsy report and provided a second opinion. They have concluded that Owachige’s death was a homicide, and that the cause of death was homicide by unknown means. They have also pointed out the flaws and errors in the state’s chief medical examiner’s report, and have suggested that it should be revised or amended. However, the state’s chief medical examiner’s office has not agreed to change its findings, and has defended its methodology and conclusions. This has created a deadlock in the case, as the police cannot proceed with the prosecution without the official cause of death.
How Can You Help?
If you have any additional information about the murder of Owachige Osceola, you are asked to call the Norman Police Department in Oklahoma at 405-366-5208. You can also write a letter to the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, calling for a formal independent review of the methodology used during Owachige’s autopsy. You can use the following prompt and address to send the letter:
Dear Attorney General,
I am writing to you regarding the case of Owachige Osceola, a 27-year-old woman who was found dead in her apartment in Norman, Oklahoma, on September 25, 2013. Her death was ruled as “undetermined” by the state’s chief medical examiner, despite evidence of injuries and signs of a struggle at the crime scene. A detective who has been working on the case for years believes that she was murdered by a suspect who has escaped justice for nearly a decade. However, he cannot arrest him, as the district attorney’s office refuses to file charges without a definitive cause of death.
I urge you to conduct a formal independent review of the methodology used during Owachige’s autopsy, and to consider the second opinion provided by the FBI and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner’s office, who have concluded that Owachige’s death was a homicide, and that the cause of death was homicide by unknown means. They have also pointed out the flaws and errors in the state’s chief medical examiner’s report, and have suggested that it should be revised or amended.
I believe that Owachige Osceola deserves justice, and that her killer should be held accountable for his actions. I hope that you will take action to ensure that the truth is revealed, and that the case is resolved in a fair and timely manner.
