HENRYETTA, Okla. − Two days after the grisly discovery of seven bodies at a rural home, authorities had publicly released few details surrounding the deaths, the victims or who killed them.
Okmulgee Police Chief Joe Prentice, acting as a spokesman for investigators in the case, said Tuesday that a briefing would be held once autopsies are finished, all the victims positively identified and relatives notified.
“No other details will be released until that press conference,” Prentice said in a statement. “No date or time has been selected as we do not know when the examinations will be completed.”
The deaths keep the U.S. on a torrid pace for mass killings in 2023, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA TODAY in a partnership with Northeastern University.
Developments:
- Janette Mayo, 59, of Westville, Oklahoma, said authorities notified her that her daughter, Holly Guess, 35, and her grandchildren, Rylee Elizabeth Allen, 17; Michael James Mayo, 15; and Tiffany Dore Guess, 13, were among the dead.
- Authorities said other remains were believed to include those of Ivy Webster, 14, and Brittany Brewer, 15, along with Jesse McFadden, 39, a felon the state’s sex offender registry.
Father of victim wants tougher penalties
Justin Webster, Ivy’s father, said he is frustrated with the lack of information available to families.
“I wanted to go on the land and get the answers myself. I know I can’t, but we need to be told answer of everything here soon,” Webster told KJRH-TV. “I’m tried of hearing (that) we can’t know right now.”
He also said he hopes this whole ordeal leads to longer prison sentences for sex offenders, especially those who target children.
“The sexual (offender) registry doesn’t work,” he said. “I think there needs to be action taken. There needs to be repercussions, and someone needs to be held accountable. They let a monster out. They did this.”
Holly Guess, McFadden were married less than a year
Holly Guess and McFadden were married May 26, 2022, in Okmulgee. Their marriage certificate lists Guess’ married name to be Holly McFadden.
Mayo said the sheriff’s office told her that her daughter and grandchildren were all found shot to death in various locations on McFadden’s property. Mayo called McFadden a “monster” and accused him of the killings.
Family recently learned of McFadden’s criminal history
Janette Mayo said Ivy and Brittany were close friends of Tiffany and were spending the weekend with the family. Mayo said it wasn’t until a few months ago that the family learned McFadden had been convicted of first-degree rape in 2003 and was in prison until October 2020. Court records also show McFadden was scheduled to appear in court Monday for the start of a jury trial on charges of soliciting sexual conduct with a minor and possession of child pornography.
Mayo said McFadden lied to her daughter, convincing her the rape case was just a “huge mistake.”
“Holly was a loving, forgiving person,” Mayo said. “She gave second chances when she shouldn’t have, and (McFadden) was one of those. She gave second chances to him and believed what he said, and she shouldn’t have.”
‘My daughter was there for everything’
Mayo implored the public to remember that her loved ones were just as much victims of McFadden as Ivy and Brittany.
“Holly was the most loving person on the planet,” Mayo said. “She was an overprotective mother, but if my grandchildren needed anything, she made sure they had it. She was at every event they had, every track meet, every cross country meet, every choir concert − my daughter was there for everything.”
Granddaughter Rylee Allen “was into art and painting,” Mayo said, and she wanted to go to college to be a doctor “so that she could help people.”
Michael Mayo “loved video games” but also ran track and cross-country, Mayo said, with a particular interest in football. When he wanted to play football, his mother went out and bought the family T-shirts and sweatshirts to support the team, Mayo said.
Tiffany Guess also ran cross-country, sang with the choir and tried out for cheerleading.
“She was the sweetest, most loving girl you’d ever met. We called her ‘Tiffasaurus’ because when she’d get mad at you, she’d growl.”
Contributing: Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY; Jessie Christopher Smith, The Oklahoman; The Associated Press
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