Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Oklahoma homicide, theft suspects arrested in Northlake

A man and a woman suspected of being involved in a homicide in Oklahoma were recently found and arrested in southern Denton County.

On Thursday, David Lee Easley Sr., a resident of Madill, Oklahoma, was found dead in the cellar of his home, according to a news release from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI). His vehicle, debit card and dog were missing. The local sheriff’s office asked the OSBI to investigate Easley’s death.

On Saturday, the OSBI contacted the Roanoke Police Department to ask them to assist in locating Julie Kawazoe and David Latham, an engaged couple who were suspects in the homicide. Roanoke officers knew Kawazoe and Latham were living in Roanoke and were suspects in multiple local theft cases, according to a Roanoke PD news release. Officers checked their last known address and some local businesses but were unable to find the victim’s vehicle nor Kawazoe’s vehicle.

Officers then searched area Flock license plate-reading cameras and saw that Kawazoe’s vehicle had been in the area of Hwy 114 and Raceway Drive in Northlake three times in the past 48 hours. Officers responded to the area and located both vehicles in the rear parking lot of a business in the 8100 block of Gasoline Alley in Northlake, according to police. Latham was sitting in the driver’s seat of Easley’s vehicle, while Kawazoe was in her vehicle, parked next to Latham. Easley’s dog and debit card were also found in their possession.

Both suspects were taken into custody by Roanoke officers without incident. OSBI responded and assumed the investigation. Latham was charged with first-degree murder, while Kawazoe was charged with illegal use of a credit card.

Mark Smith
Mark Smith
Mark Smith is the Digital Editor of The Cross Timbers Gazette.

Related Articles

Popular This Week