Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman disappeared Dec. 30, 1999
WELCH, Okla. — 23 years after they have been final seen, authorities say they proceed to get new leads concerning the whereabouts of two missing Craig County teenagers.
The case started in 1999 when investigators found the our bodies of Danny and Kathy Freeman inside their burning residence in Welch.
Authorities quickly discovered that the couple’s daughter, 16-year-old Ashley Freeman, and her good friend, 16-year-old Lauria Bible, have been missing.
Although rescue groups searched the world, they by no means discovered any signal of the youngsters.
The preliminary investigation didn’t get very far, however authorities stated a assessment in current years uncovered new proof, together with witness statements linking Ronnie Busick, Warren Phillip Welch and David Pennington to the killings.
Several witnesses stated the lads killed the Freemans over cash owed for medication, in line with authorities.
19 years after the murders, authorities charged Busick with 4 counts of first-degree homicide in relation to the chilly case. The different two males have since died.
In an arrest affidavit filed in Busick’s case, authorities imagine Ashley Freeman and Lauria Bible have been “kidnapped, tied up, raped and held at Welch’s mobile home for a ‘matter of days’ before being strangled.”
For 23 years, authorities have searched totally different areas of northeast Oklahoma and different surrounding states in hopes of discovering the women’ stays.
Investigators say they proceed to obtain information and are within the technique of vetting it.
In the meantime, relations and pals proceed to hunt solutions within the case.
“Twenty-three years in the past tonight Ashley celebrated her sixteenth birthday. They had pizza, requested for Lauria to spend one other evening and went residence for cake and ice cream.
Twenty-three years in the past, we had no concept that tonight we might have pizza whereas spending hours finding out aerial images of Picher Oklahoma, trying for some information based mostly on a tip coming earlier final week.
Lauria, your mother has made many journeys to your final identified place to be alive this week. She positioned flowers for you and Ashley after which retains going again to ensure the wind didn’t take them away. Tomorrow, I’m positive we are going to go once more and we are going to work the ideas as we at all times do to attempt to carry each of you ladies residence. Every yr I make this publish and yearly I pray it’s the final time I’ve to say….we’re nonetheless looking out for you. But even when I’ve to make it yearly for the remainder of my life, I’ll by no means cease looking out. I’ll by no means cease standing by your mother, and doing the issues we do. Forever.
Ashley, Happy Birthday candy lady. Where there may be one we are going to discover the opposite. We are at all times looking out for you too. We always remember you. The solely factor that brings me peace is figuring out that neither of you was alone when no matter occurred to you, occurred. Throughout all of it, I attempt to give attention to the grins you delivered to these round you greater than what folks know of you each now.
Rest in peace ladies. We will maintain preventing to seek out you.”
Find Lauria Bible – BBI Facebook page, Dec. 29, 2022
If anybody has information on the disappearance of Ashley Freeman and Lauria Bible, please contact the OSBI at 800.522.8017.
A $50,000 reward stays lively.
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