Man arrested for multiple Oklahoma murders may be connected to El Reno case
EL RENO, Okla. (KFOR) — El Reno Police say a man arrested in Arkansas for multiple murders in Oklahoma may be connected to a case in their city.
Police say they responded to the home of Phillip Emerson, 56, on June 14 where officers found him dead. Officers initially noted that the cause of death was suspicious, before investigators determined his injuries were consistent with a homicide.
"The victim died from a gunshot wound," said El Reno Assistant Police Chief Kirk Dickerson.
News 4 asked Dickerson if that meant Emerson was only shot once, but Dickerson could not answer that question directly.
During the investigation, Dickerson said they discovered Emerson's vehicle was missing from the scene and presumed it was taken by suspect Stacy Lee Drake.
Dickerson said Emerson and Drake knew each other.
"The victim and suspect did know each other," said Dickerson. "We've confirmed that they did have a relationship. They were seen together on more than one occasion recently."
Police believe Drake was transient and had only just recently arrived in El Reno.
He's also been tied to another murder case in Sequoyah County from June 18. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) said the Sequoyah County Sherriff's Office requested its assistance after a man and woman were found inside a Gans business.
The woman has since been identified as Tara Barnett-Underwood, a mother of three.
El Reno Police say Emerson's vehicle was found where the murders took place.
That vehicle was missing, and it was subsequently located in Sequoyah County," said Dickerson.
After the Gans crime took place, OSBI believes Drake stole another vehicle found in Morrilton, Ark., later that same night.
Drake was arrested Thursday morning by multiple Arkansas law enforcement agencies in a wooded area.
In addition to the murders he was already wanted for, Drake was also in trouble for felony counts from multiple jurisdictions for charges including robbery and carjacking.
Drake is currently being held at the Conway County Detention Center in Arkansas.
News 4 reached out to an OSBI spokesperson on Thursday after El Reno police said it requested the agency's assistance in the homicide there.
A spokesperson said the OSBI is not connecting Drake to any other homicides at the time other than the two homicides in Gans.