A community in Green Country mourns as it awaits answers.
On Monday night at Henryetta High School, several hundred people gathered in a prayer vigil for seven people found dead at a home on the outskirts of the city.
Pastor Ryan Wells told residents during the nearly hour-long gathering that they’re on the first step in a difficult series.
“It is a tragedy with one individual, but it is catastrophic when you have seven individuals. Five, from what I understand, five students that are just from [Henryetta High School],” said Wells.
Wells said the community is waiting for more details.
“I think everything is so raw at the moment. We’re still gathering information. There’s a lot to be uncovered, lots of details we don’t know,” said Wells.
According to news reports from the scene Monday afternoon, two of the dead discovered on the rural Okmulgee County property are 14-year-old Ivy Webster and 16-year-old Brittany Brewer. Brewer and Webster were the subject of an AMBER Alert Monday morning.
39-year-old Jesse McFadden, a convicted rapist who was set to go on trial for soliciting a teenage girl, is also reportedly dead. McFadden was included in the AMBER Alert as likely being with Brewer and Webster.
Spokesman for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Gerald Davidson said he couldn’t confirm any identities of the dead, and that he has zero knowledge of why a registered sex offender under suspicion would be allowed contact with minors.
“I cannot answer that question. I don’t know anything about what you’re speaking of. That would probably the district attorney or someone else to answer that particular question,” said Davidson.
The Okmulgee County District Attorney didn’t answer a late call Monday evening.
The DA was on scene Monday, however. Davidson said a violent crimes task force from the DA's office assisted OSBI with the investigation, along with the Okmulgee Police Department and the sheriff’s office.
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
