The Freeman Murders
12/30/1999
Status: Open
At approximately 5:30 a.m., Dec. 30, 1999, members of the Welch Fire Department were called to the home of Danny and Kathy Freeman at 7856 S. 4390 Road, Welch, in Craig County.
Upon arrival, firemen found the mobile home fully engulfed by fire. During the investigation by members of Craig County Sheriff's Office and Oklahoma Bureau of Investigations, it was determined Kathy and Danny Freeman were killed by gunshot wounds to their heads and their daughter, Ashley, and her friend Lauria Bible, were missing.
The girls, both 16 at the time of their disappearance, remain missing to this day.
Leads discovered in 2017 and early 2018, indicated Ronnie Busick, Warren Phillip Welch II, and David Pennington were involved in the crime. Both Welch and Pennington died since the night of the incident.
The investigation indicates Ashley and Lauria were kidnapped, tied up, raped and held in a mobile home in Picher by the three men for a matter of days before being strangled.
Busick was arrested and booked into the Craig County Jail in April 2018, on the following felony crimes: four counts first-degree murder; two counts kidnapping; one count first-degree arson.
Persons with information regarding this case, are asked to contact the Craig County Sheriff's Office at 918-256-6466 or contact the OSBI at 800-522-8017 or tips@osbi.ok.gov.