Hell and Gone Murder Line: Oklahoma State Fair Murders

inherent in cold cases. We remind listeners that everyone has presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing in the podcast is intended to state or imply that anyone who has not been convicted of a crime is guilty of any wrongdoing. Thanks for listening.

a job painting houses. Cheryl was petite five foot three and one hundred pounds with long black hair. Lisa was taller, five foot eight and one hundred and forty pounds with blonde hair and green eyes.

friend's house. That friend's name was Lane Henley the Third, and according to multiple reports, their dad knew that they might be hanging out with him, so Rocky contacted Lane and when Lane said he didn't know where Lisa and Cheryl were, and by now it had been several days since Lisa and Cheryl went missing. Rocky called the police

to report his daughter's missing. At first, police said they didn't believe there was any foul play involved, but as the days turned into weeks, Rocky and Charlotte became more and more terrified, and then on October twentieth, nineteen eighty seven, so almost a month after Lisa and Cheryl were last seen at the fair, a car salesman was taking a drive with a prospective buyer in North Oklahoma, near the intersection of Northwest one hundred twenty second Street in Santa

Fe Avenue. He was showing the buyer how the four wheel drive function worked. So they went off road into a field, and when they did, they stumbled onto two shallow graves.

four five. That's six seven eight seven four four six' one four, five or you can send us a message On instagram At helen. Gonepod this Is Helen gone murder. Line after the car salesman and potential buyers stumbled onto two shallow, graves police came to the scene and realized that the bodies were two women and that there was

a significant amount of. Decomposition forensic and medical testing showed this Was lisa And cheryl and that the spot where their bodies were found was less than a mile From Lane henley's house In North Oklahoma. City police said Both lisa And cheryl had been shot in the. Head as investigators try to track the two sisters last night and figure out what, Happened cheryl And lisa's devastated parents prepared to bury two daughters at the same. Time cheryl was

born On may, twentieth nineteen sixty. Two lisa was born On october, sixth nineteen, seventy So lisa disappeared just a couple of weeks away from her seventeenth. Birthday both girls Attended Putnam City High. School their, Mother, charlotte Was Native. American they had two, Brothers ronald And, allen and were

active in their Local baptist. Church this case very quickly made, headlines but the facts that emerged in the, beginning and this is not uncommon in murder investigations in early, stages were often. Contradictory since this is still an open, investigation we have to try to put together facts from the little bit of information that police have given publicly and the newspaper articles from back in the. Day On Thursday octoughctober, eighth there was the first news story in The Daily.

Oklahoma the headline read two sisters missing after visiting fair and reported That lisa And cheryl had been last seen at a friend's home after visiting The Oklahoma State, fair but the newspaper stated no foul play was. Suspected, then On october twenty, second newspapers reported the discovery of the bodies and the fact that the two women were in

side by side. Graves police later revealed that both women had been shot in the head and that they believed that they had been murdered shortly after they left the. Fair law enforcement made a public appeal for any. Information they asked anyone who had seen anything unusual in the areas where the bodies were found on the day of the fair to reach out to, them and they did receive.

search warrant on the. Property now at the, time police said that some tarps had been removed and That lane was not a. Suspect they said this was just part of normal police. Procedure The Daily oklahoma later reported police had seized other items from that, residence including a shovel hoe and dirt. Rake Lieutenant Julie smith Told The Daily oklahoma That lane Said lisa And cheryl had left the house on foot to go to a local convenience, store

which was later reported to be a seven to. Eleven, now this was not the first time that two women had vanished into thin air after visiting The Oklahoma State. Fair there was another notorious case of two thirteen year old, Girls Charlotte kinsei And Cenda, palette who disappeared in nineteen eighty one from the same state. Fair the two friends went to the fair together On september twenty, sixth nineteen eighty.

One it was actually the first time they had ever been allowed to go, alone and they were planning to spend the night At senda's. House there were some leads in that. Case at around five pm that, Afternoon charlotte called her mom and said that she And cinda were going to be doing a job helping someone who worked at the. Fair they were supposed to unload a truck that was supposedly filled with stuffed, animals the ones that were used for the booth. Prizes charlotte's mother said that was,

okay But charlotte had to call her by nine. Pm senda's mother said the same, thing, okay but check in by nine. Pm neither of the girls ever called their mothers back that, night and they never showed up at home. Again the last sighting of the girls was reportedly at around five thirty at the. Fairgrounds when they didn't show up back, Home senda And charlotte's families immediately reported them

missing to The Oklahoma City Police. Department police got a tip about a suspicious man who claimed to be an employee of the fair and was described as being about thirty five to fifty years, old six' one to sixty, three weighing two hundred to two hundred and fifty, pounds with dark, hair a, mustache and a leather belt with the Name joseph printed on, it as well as a yellow. Badge the man supposedly was driving in nineteen eighty to

nineteen eighty One Pontiac Grand prix With South dakota. Plates this is a pretty specific, description and they also had statements from other kids at the to say this guy was walking around offering to pay them five dollars an hour to do odd. Jobs two teenage boys told police they took this guy up on the alleged job offer and were in the backseat of his car With charlotte And. Senda they told police this man told them that the truck loaded with toys was at a truck stop Off

Inner state. Forty according to what the Retired District attorney For Oklahoma City Ray, elliott later TOLD Koco News, channel the boys went with this man to the truck, stop but when they got, there the guy told them that the truck wasn't, there and then he gave the boys ten dollars and told them.

To oklahoma And. Ray elliott Told koco that the prosecution and law enforcement continued to build their. Case there were a few issues with the physical, evidence like the fact that the scalp pairs that were found in the truck Of russell's rental car were described as being a match For, cenda but the tests were later described as, inconclusive but

Ray elliot still said he believed the case was. Solid he said he got a shock when the judge granted the defense's motion to dismiss the, case which meant that it was thrown out of, court and So russell was never charged in connection with the disappearance of these two. Girls years, later Ray elliott told a local news channel that he and the victim's families absolutely believed That russell was the, killer and thatlaw enforcement considers him the prime

suspect to this. Day so this was Another Oklahoma State fair kidnapping and another unsolved. CASE i want to be, clear there's no suggestion that the cases Of lisa And cheryl And charlotte And cinda are. Connected Russell long told his own, daughter according to court, documents that he would never be attracted to a young woman over the age of. Thirteen so these were completely different mos Than lisa And cheryl's.

Killer and although the charges Against Russell long were, dismissed he was imprisoned in nineteen eighty seven and stayed there for the rest of his life on unrelated. Charges, still the circumstances frightened a lot of. People four girls disappearing without a trace from the Same state fair six years. APART i also wanted to Mention charlotte And senda's case

for another. Reason according to What Ray elliott Told, koco When russell was leaving the, courtroom he leaned over to the victim's families and told them quote ONLY i know where the bodies, are And i'm not talking end. QUOTE a former cellmate Of russell's told police while they were doing time together In, Wyoming, russell who had worked as a meat, cutter allegedly told him, quote if you cut the bodies up small enough and stick them in a rat, hole they'll never be.

been last seen. At, lane had also left town pretty much immediately After cheryl And lisa went, missing but he told police that this had been a pre planned, trip And lane's Friend doug La, lawson who was With lane the night of the, fair gave him an. Alibi for a, while things went, Quiet then in nineteen eighty, nine there was what appeared to be a huge break in this.

Case police Hit Doug lawson with several drug, charges and as part of a plea, deal if the state agreed to drop the charges against, Him doug said he would tell them what he claimed really. Happened On september twenty, third nineteen eighty, seven on the Night Lisa pennington And Cheryl ginzer, Disappeared doug said that he was operating the monorail at The State, fair according to police. Records according to an arrest, Warrant doug told police he And lane

Met cheryl And lisa at the. Fair he said the four of them left the fair grounds together and went to a friend's, house where they smoked, pot drank, beer and did some cocaine for a. While, then he, said the four of them left that friend's house and ended up At lane's. House doug said once the four of them got back To lane's, house they kept drinking beer and took some more. Drugs, then at some, Point doug And cheryl left the house to walk to the store

and buy some more. Beer according to What doug told, police after they got, back a fight broke out After lane Told cheryl that he had raped her. Sister doug claimed that he passed out for a. While he said when he woke, up he Heard lisa And lane arguing about this alleged sexual. Assault he said he Heard lisa SAY i can't believe you did this and ask for a ride. Home Then doug claimed That lane told her okay that he would take her. Home after, That doug

claimed That lisa And cheryl got into the. Car doug said that an argument broke out In lane's car Between lane And, lisa and That cheryl jumped in to try to defend her. Sister at that, Point doug testified he Saw lane Hit cheryl in the face with his, gun a three fifty, seven and Then lisa tried to jump out of the car and run back inside the, house But doug claimed That lane caught her on the way and hit her in the face with a. Shovel doug told police he Saw lane force both women back into

the car and That lane drove away with. Them doug stated in court this was the last time that he ever Saw lisa And. Cheryl doug said after he witnessed this alleged attack that he went back to, sleep and six hours, later when he woke up and asked where the girls, Were lane told him that they had.

Testimony he now said he lied when he claimed to have Witnessed lane Hitting cheryl And lisa and the argument about the alleged sexual. Assault after, that the prosecution dropped all charges Again, lane and after spending nineteen months in The Oklahoma county, Jail Lane henley was. Free as he left, Court lane said that he was going to go out and get a real.

he went away and started serving his. Time lisa And cheryl's family showed up at every one of his parole hearings to try to ensure that he stayed behind.

projectile was never. Found on the twelfth anniversary Of lisa And cheryl's, deaths their parents put white crosses in the same area at some. Point it does seem as Though lisa And cheryl's family's viewpoints might have diverged from law. Enforcement it's interesting because in an article about that in nineteen ninety, Nine The Daily oklahoma reported that the parents no longer thought That Laane henley was the, killer or

at least they weren't sure that he acted. Alone in two thousand and, Six Charlotte pennington Told The Daily oklahoma that she went to bed every night and woke up every single morning thinking about who killed her two precious daughters and wondering if.

living in burned to the. Ground Lane henley was living with his longtime, girlfriend thirty eight year Old Amy, mirrable a mother of, four when their trailer caught on.

Burns it's interesting because in two thousand and, Eight The Daily oklahoma quoted The Oklahoma City police cold case Inspector Kyle eastridge as saying That lane was still the main suspect In cheryl And lisa's. Murders Dorian, quillen the journalist and private investigator turned, counselor who became involved sometime in

the mid two, thousands never gave up on the. Cases Detective Mike, burke who was one of the homicide detectives on the case back in nineteen eighty, seven told The Alamagordo Daily news in two thousand and eight that he found it very interesting that four women who had associations With Lane henley were all dead at the. Time charlotte told the newspaper she had always Considered lane's, suspect and she suspected That doug or possibly others could have been.

Involved she also gave another small, detail saying that police had found the bodies near a pond Where lane's friends said he went. Fishing rocky told the newspaper that when he found out That lane was living in Almagai, ordoh the town where the house fire, happened he said he had called law enforcement and told them About lane's suspected involvement in his daughter's. Death this was before the trailer burned down. Again doug was never charged in connection With

cheryl And lisa's. Murders lane was, charged but those charges were ultimately, dropped and he continued to deny any. INVOLVEMENT i was looking at old newspaper clippings about the, fire and there's something else that's odd about the circumstances of this. FIRE a guy Named Gerald, moore a freelance, photographer told The alan Mcgardo Daily news that he'd witnessed the.

seem overly distraught end. Quote according to this same news, article the man went in and Saved lane from the, fire but there seemed to be conflicting stories about who went in to try to look For, amy and Whether lane had gone back in to rescue his girlfriend or whether it was this other. Guy Dorian, quillen who was still working on the, case called this man to try

and clear up the real. Story but there seemed to be conflicting stories about who went in to try to look For, amy and Whether lane had gone back in to rescue his girlfriend or whether it was this other, Guy Dorian, quillen who was still working on the case called this man to try and clear up the real. Story Then dorian told The Alamagordo Daily news that this guy had been surprised because he Said lane really didn't

have any interest in going back to Rescue. Amy dorian also told the paper that While sheryl And lisa's murders were being, Investigated lane's house In North Oklahoma city had also burned to the. Ground is this just an odd coincidence or could it point to something?

Case in twenty, twelve the daughter of a man police once interviewed in connection to the murders told police her father had confessed to her that he Murdered lisa And, cheryl and also said one of the girls was raped and murdered while the other was kept alive for days being raped and, tortured but in the end the police called the confession a dead end. Street Dorian quillan did Tell fox twenty five in twenty seventeen she hoped modern

forensic testing could help get. Answers she said she had seen evan its collection reports and from that she had learned police had collected physical, evidence including what she described as, earrings, jewelry fingernails from both, girls clothing from both, girls and hairs from both. Girls then there's another huge gap in coverage until around twenty twenty. Two during those, years Both charlotte And Rocky pennington. Died they were buried next To

cheryl And. Lisa in twenty twenty, two The Homicide Victims Family's Rights act was signed into.

still living In Oklahoma, city but never was. Charged in the fall of twenty twenty, Three dorian spearheaded an attempt to get this case brought before a grand. JURY a judge signed a petition stating that If dorian and the family could get five hundred or more signatures in forty five, days that.

to victim's. Families dorian, said, quote they were told so many things that were wrong by people that were supposed to help, them things like we don't have time to look for your. Girls we know who did, it but we can't do. Anything wait fifteen years and someone will. Confess you can't speak like that to these.

CHANGE i should also, mention, though When dorian's talking about forensic, evidence there could be another potential complicating factor in this case involving forensic, testing because the forensic chemist at the time When lisa And cheryl were killed Was Joyce Skill. Christ she was later fired after she was accused of forensic. Misconduct at the time she was, Fired joyce had handled over three thousand cases In, oklahoma and her work prompted

reviews in over one thousand and two hundred felony. Cases AN fbi investigation found one hundred and sixty five of these cases were flagged for further.

The Pennington. Family as legislators In oklahoma continued to debate changing state law to allow families to ask for cold case review after a certain period of, Time Senator Carrie hicks held an interim, study which she said she hoped could help change the. Law the idea is that after a certain time, period families would have a mechanism to

allow other outside people to take a look at case. Files, again on a personal, note this is something THAT i think is much needed at the federal, level but doing something at the state level is a great. Start if you listen to season one Of Helen, gone some of you may have heard me With Rebecca gould's father in that cold, case going To Little rock and talking to lawmakers In arkansas about the possibility of changing the law. There and AS i was writing this, episode there was

some good news on this. Case On may, seventh twenty twenty, Six Senate bill sixteen thirty six was approved by The. Governor kaotio, reported meaning this will allow families of cold case victims to request a formal review of cases by investigators who were not involved in the original. Investigation, crucially it also mandates response, time including thirty days for written confirmation and a six month review timeline nineteen eighty seven was almost forty years ago, now though a lot of

people may have. Died there are a lot of basic questions that presumably the case, file if it was made, public could help, answer such as what was the exact sequence Of cheryl And lisa leaving the, fair who were the independent witnesses who corroborated that they were At lane's house in the seven eleven story where they killed by one or two?

adults WHERE i would be. Living basically just a lot of what ifs about how things would be.

research assistance And Sarah burns for legal. Review noah camer mixed and scored this. Episode our theme song is By Ben. Sale executive producers Are Virginia, Prescott Brandon, barr and. L. C. Crowley listen To Helen gone ad free by subscribing to The iHeart True Crime plus channel On Apple. Podcasts if you were interested in seeing documents and materials from the, case you can follow the show On instagram At Helen.

Gonepod if you have a case you'd like me and my team to look, into you can reach out to us at Our Helen Gone Murder line at six seven eight seven four four six one four five at six seven eight seven four four six one four Five.