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Posts:
1
Registered:
10/31/09
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(9 of 9)
Re: Paula Stringer killed Sand Springs Oklahoma
Oct 31, 2009 4:37 AM
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I think a lot of people in this town (sand springs) know who did it. I lived here when it happened and Cold Case should follow up. I believe they tried Bret Harris who was let off on technical grounds. If he is innocent, we need to catch who did it. Without outside pressure nothing will be done. Someone in this string mentioned Rodney Echohawk who used to be one of my customers. I do not know if he is still around. I have written a song about Paula. I ride my motorcycle on wekiwa road near where she was killed. It always makes me think of the lack of closure for her family.
Here is what I have been able to find over the years.
TULSA WORLD (FINAL HOME EDITION Edition), Page A4 of NEWS
Keep Apart, Judge Orders Two
08/31/1993
A judge Monday ordered Charlotte Stringer, mother of
murder victim PAULA STRINGER, and the man acquitted in the teen-ager's 1982 slaying to stay away from each other. Mrs. Stringer had applied for a protective order against Brett Harris after she saw him near her Sand Springs business this month.
Harris had contended he did nothing wrong and that it was Mrs. Stringer who approached him at a video store on Aug. 13. PAULA STRINGER's body was found Oct. 7, 1982, partially buried in the sand along the Arkansas River. She had been
stabbed 16 times.
No one has ever been convicted in the slaying.
Mrs. Springer admitted that she had walked over to the video
store, where she saw Harris, and told him to "stay away from me."
She said she had been harassed for 11 years with threatening
phone calls.
"The police can't catch who's doing it," she said.
Tulsa District Judge Gail Harris said that in light of the
background of the case and the fact that Brett Harris (no
relation to the judge) and Mrs. Stringer lived in a "small
town" they should stay away from one another.
Man Given Jail Time in Assault Case
10/17/1990
TULSA WORLD (FINAL HOME EDITION Edition), Page A6 of NEWS
Brett Alan Harris, acquitted of murder in 1985 in one of
Tulsa County's stormiest cases of the past decade, was sentenced
Tuesday to 30 days in jail for misdemeanor assault and battery.
Harris, 28, of Sand Springs, pleaded no contest on Sept.
4. After his jail term, he must serve 60 days on probation
and pay $214 in restitution, Tulsa District Judge Jay Dalton ordered.
According to Sand Springs police, Harris hit Karen McGinnis
in the eye with a chair he threw during a March 16 argument
at her Sand Springs home.
The charge was reduced from a felony in a plea bargain.
McGinnis needed 12 stitches.
In a sentencing report prepared by a probation officer,
Harris claimed McGinnis pushed him and threw a chair that
hit him. A police report does not support his version.
The sentencing report said Harris "feels he is an outcast
or a marked man in Sand Springs because of the stigma generated
from the Stringer murder trial."
After a four-week trial in Dalton's court in 1985, Harris
was cleared of first-degree murder in the 1982 death of
PAULA STRINGER, 17, of Sand Springs.
Her body was recovered from a shallow grave in the Arkansas
River bed. She had been stabbed 16 times and sustained a
fractured skull.
In its tangled, 32-month path to trial, the case featured numerous
prolonged hearings, an aborted grand jury investigation, the imprisonment of
the prosecution's star witness for perjury, accusations of evidence
mishandling and prosecutorial misconduct, and several heated exchanges and
temper flareups inside and outside of courtrooms.
Harris did not testify. He maintained he was innocent.
Sand Springs Man Charged in Injury Accident
05/22/1991
TULSA WORLD (FINAL HOME EDITION Edition), Page A12 of NEWS
Brett Alan Harris of Sand Springs was charged Tuesday
with two felonies and two misdemeanors linked to May 12
traffic incidents that police said sent five people - including
Harris - to Tulsa hospitals.
Harris, now 29, was acquitted of first-degree murder in
1985 in one of Tulsa County's stormiest trials of the decade.
The new Tulsa District Court charge alleges Harris drove
under the influence of intoxicating liquor on May 12, left
the scene of an injury accident, drove recklessly, and drove
with a suspended license.
Prosecutor Doug Horn said he will seek to revoke a one-year
probation Harris received in June 1990 for a misdemeanor DUI.
Police said a car driven by Harris collided with a van at
15th Street and Florence Avenue. His car collided minutes
later with a pickup truck at 11th Street and Evanston Avenue, police said.
After a four-week trial in 1985, Harris was cleared in the
1982 slaying of PAULA STRINGER, 17, of Sand Springs.
In its tangled 32-month path to trial, the case featured
numerous prolonged hearings, an aborted grand jury investigation,
the imprisonment of a star prosecution witness for perjury,
accusations of evidence mishandling and prosecutorial misconduct,
and heated exchanges and flareups inside and outside of courtrooms
Sand Springs Man Sentenced in Accidents
06/22/1991
TULSA WORLD (FINAL Edition), Page D18 of NEWS
A Sand Springs man, charged in May 12 traffic incidents
in Tulsa that police said sent five people to the hospital,
was sentenced Friday to one year in the Tulsa Jail for a
1990 conviction.
Based on evidence that probation conditions were violated,
Tulsa Special Judge Bill Musseman revoked a suspended sentence
Brett Alan Harris received last year for misdemeanor DUI.
At a preliminary hearing, Musseman also ordered Harris to
face trial for two felonies - driving under the influence of
alcohol and leaving the scene of an injury accident - linked
to the May 12 episode. Harris, 29, is also charged with two
misdemeanors, driving recklessly and with a suspended license.
Harris was acquitted of murder in 1985 in one of Tulsa County's
stormiest cases of the decade. At a four-week trial, he was cleared
in the 1982 slaying of PAULA STRINGER, 17, of Sand Springs.
Sands Springs Man Sentenced to Prison
10/15/1991
TULSA WORLD (FINAL HOME EDITION Edition), Page C5 of NEWS
A Sand Springs man, charged in May 12 traffic incidents
that police said sent five people to hospitals, was sentenced
Monday to 4 1/2 years in prison.
Brett Alan Harris, 29, pleaded guilty to two felonies -
driving under the influence of alcohol, and leaving the
scene of an injury accident - plus two driving misdemeanors.
Tulsa Associate District Judge Bill Beasley also fined him
$2,500. The prison sentence runs consecutively with a one-year
jail term Harris received June 21 for a 1990 misdemeanor
DUI, Assistant District Attorney Eric Stall said.
Harris was acquitted of murder in 1985 in one of Tulsa County's
stormiest cases of the decade. At a four-week trial, he
was cleared in the 1982 slaying of PAULA STRINGER, 17, of
Sand Springs.
That case featured numerous prolonged hearings, an aborted
grand jury investigation, the imprisonment of a star prosecution
witness for perjury, accusations of evidence mishandling
and prosecutorial misconduct, and heated exchanges and temper
flare-ups inside and outside of courtrooms.
New Evidence Sought in '82 Murder of Teen
Barbara Allen World Staff Writer
02/08/1998
News
Brett Alan Harris, acquitted of murder in 1985 in one of
Tulsa County's stormiest cases of the past decade, was sentenced
Tuesday to 30 days in jail for misdemeanor assault and battery.
Harris, 28, of Sand Springs, pleaded no contest on Sept.
4. After his jail term, he must serve 60 days on probation
and pay $214 in restitution, Tulsa District Judge Jay Dalton ordered.
According to Sand Springs police, Harris hit Karen McGinnis
in the eye with a chair he threw during a March 16 argument
at her Sand Springs home.
The charge was reduced from a felony in a plea bargain.
McGinnis needed 12 stitches.
In a sentencing report prepared by a probation officer,
Harris claimed McGinnis pushed him and threw a chair that
hit him. A police report does not support his version.
The sentencing report said Harris "feels he is an outcast
or a marked man in Sand Springs because of the stigma generated
from the Stringer murder trial."
After a four-week trial in Dalton's court in 1985, Harris
was cleared of first-degree murder in the 1982 death of
PAULA STRINGER, 17, of Sand Springs.
Her body was recovered from a shallow grave in the Arkansas
River bed. She had been stabbed 16 times and sustained a
fractured skull.
In its tangled, 32-month path to trial, the case featured numerous
prolonged hearings, an aborted grand jury investigation, the imprisonment of
the prosecution's star witness for perjury, accusations of evidence
mishandling and prosecutorial misconduct, and several heated exchanges and
temper flareups inside and outside of courtrooms.
Harris did not testify. He maintained he was innocent.
Sand Springs Man Charged in Injury Accident
05/22/1991
TULSA WORLD (FINAL HOME EDITION Edition), Page A12 of NEWS
Brett Alan Harris of Sand Springs was charged Tuesday
with two felonies and two misdemeanors linked to May 12
traffic incidents that police said sent five people - including
Harris - to Tulsa hospitals.
Harris, now 29, was acquitted of first-degree murder in
1985 in one of Tulsa County's stormiest trials of the decade.
The new Tulsa District Court charge alleges Harris drove
under the influence of intoxicating liquor on May 12, left
the scene of an injury accident, drove recklessly, and drove
with a suspended license.
Prosecutor Doug Horn said he will seek to revoke a one-year
probation Harris received in June 1990 for a misdemeanor DUI.
Police said a car driven by Harris collided with a van at
15th Street and Florence Avenue. His car collided minutes
later with a pickup truck at 11th Street and Evanston Avenue, police said.
After a four-week trial in 1985, Harris was cleared in the
1982 slaying of PAULA STRINGER, 17, of Sand Springs.
In its tangled 32-month path to trial, the case featured
numerous prolonged hearings, an aborted grand jury investigation,
the imprisonment of a star prosecution witness for perjury,
accusations of evidence mishandling and prosecutorial misconduct,
and heated exchanges and flareups inside and outside of courtrooms
Sand Springs Man Sentenced in Accidents
06/22/1991
TULSA WORLD (FINAL Edition), Page D18 of NEWS
A Sand Springs man, charged in May 12 traffic incidents
in Tulsa that police said sent five people to the hospital,
was sentenced Friday to one year in the Tulsa Jail for a
1990 conviction.
Based on evidence that probation conditions were violated,
Tulsa Special Judge Bill Musseman revoked a suspended sentence
Brett Alan Harris received last year for misdemeanor DUI.
At a preliminary hearing, Musseman also ordered Harris to
face trial for two felonies - driving under the influence of
alcohol and leaving the scene of an injury accident - linked
to the May 12 episode. Harris, 29, is also charged with two
misdemeanors, driving recklessly and with a suspended license.
Harris was acquitted of murder in 1985 in one of Tulsa County's
stormiest cases of the decade. At a four-week trial, he was cleared
in the 1982 slaying of PAULA STRINGER, 17, of Sand Springs.
Sands Springs Man Sentenced to Prison
Keep Apart, Judge Orders Two
08/31/1993
TULSA WORLD (FINAL HOME EDITION Edition), Page A4 of NEWS
A judge Monday ordered Charlotte Stringer, mother of
murder victim PAULA STRINGER, and the man acquitted in the
teen-ager's 1982 slaying to stay away from each other.
Mrs. Stringer had applied for a protective order against
Brett Harris after she saw him near her Sand Springs business
this month.
Harris had contended he did nothing wrong and that it was
Mrs. Stringer who approached him at a video store on Aug. 13.
PAULA STRINGER's body was found Oct. 7, 1982, partially
buried in the sand along the Arkansas River. She had been
stabbed 16 times.
No one has ever been convicted in the slaying.
Mrs. Springer admitted that she had walked over to the video
store, where she saw Harris, and told him to "stay away from me."
She said she had been harassed for 11 years with threatening
phone calls.
"The police can't catch who's doing it," she said.
Tulsa District Judge Gail Harris said that in light of the
background of the case and the fact that Brett Harris (no
relation to the judge) and Mrs. Stringer lived in a "small
town" they should stay away from one another.
New Evidence Sought in '82 Murder of Teen
Barbara Allen World Staff Writer
02/08/1998
News
The family of a Sand Springs teen-ager who was slain 15 years ago and the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office are working together to turn up new evidence in the 1982 murder case.
PAULA STRINGER was a 17-year- old Charles Page High School senior when she was killed Oct. 2, 1982. Her body was found five days later, partially buried in a shallow grave along the banks of the Arkansas River.
The ensuing years of judicial proceedings, hailed by newspaper reports as the stormiest trial of the decade, saw numerous prolonged hearings, an aborted grand jury investigation, the imprisonment of a star prosecution witness for perjury, accusations of evidence mishandling and prosecutorial misconduct plus heated exchanges inside and outside the courtroom.
After a four-week trial in 1985, then-22-year-old Brett Alan Harris, the man charged in Paula's murder, was acquitted. No one was ever convicted of the crime.
Now, the murdered teen's family and the Sheriff's Office hope numerous reward posters hanging in Sand Springs and nearby areas of Tulsa will bring new evidence and, eventually, Paula's killer.
Tulsa County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Elisa Gamallo said Charlotte Stringer, Paula's mother, has led the crusade to bring her daughter's killer to justice.
Stringer has hung posters all around Sand Springs and nearby Tulsa areas offering a $25,000 reward "for the arrest and conviction of one or more persons involved" in Stringer's death, Gamallo said. The posters include a picture of Paula and a number at the Sheriff's Office for callers with information.
Harris became suspect after he and another girl acknowledged that he had been the last person to see Paula alive.
According to reports, Paula, who didn't like football, spent part of the night of her high school homecoming riding in Harris' four-wheel drive vehicle with another friend along the banks of the Arkansas.
Harris contended that he dropped off the other friend at her car before taking Paula to her car, which was parked at a Mazzio's restaurant in Sand Springs. When Paula missed her 12:30 a.m. curfew, her mother became alarmed and shortly after 2:30 a.m. began a search for her daughter that would end five days later.
A man walking the bank of the river found Paula's partially buried body, reports state. She was wearing only a torn blouse and knee socks and had been stabbed 16 times.
Paula's body was badly decomposed, and dental records and an S-shaped diamond ring she wore had to be used to identify her.
Police arrested Harris in connection with the slaying.
He was acquitted in 1985, but not before a star prosecution witness was convicted of perjury and Charlotte Stringer had gathered enough signatures to assemble a grand jury, which was later dissolved.
No one else has ever been charged in connection with the crime.
Harris was sentenced in 1991 to 4 1/2 years in prison in connection with two traffic felonies, including a DUI, and misdemeanor traffic charges wherein five people, including Harris, were hospitalized.
He was also sentenced to 30 days in jail in 1990 after he pleaded no contest to charges of assault and battery. Authorities contend that he threw a chair at a Sand Springs woman and hit her in the eye.
Help sought in solving 15-year-old murder case
10/05/1998
Tulsa World (FH Edition), Page A10 of NEWS
Police are seeking help in solving a killing that took
place more than 15 years ago.
On Oct. 7, 1982, PAULA STRINGER of Sand Springs was
reported missing by her family, said Officer Lucky Lamons.
After several days of searching, her body was discovered
in a shallow grave in the Arkansas River bed near 161st
West Avenue, Lamons said.
Brett Alan Harris reported he dropped her off about 10
p.m. in a restaurant parking lot in Sand Springs, where he
reported seeing her climb into a green pickup truck, Lamons
said.
He said that Harris eventually was charged with
first-degree murder in connection with her death, and was
acquitted.
Lamons said that from the onset of the investigation,
there seemed to be more than one person involved in the
slaying.
Anyone with information on this crime can call Crime
Stoppers at 596-COPS.
Callers can remain anonymous.
The Citizens Crime Commission pays cash rewards for
information leading to the arrest of conviction of people
who have committed felony crimes.
Crime Stoppers: Help sought in solving 15-year-old murder case
World's own Service
10/05/1998
News
Police are seeking help in solving a killing that took place more than 15 years ago.
On Oct. 7, 1982, PAULA STRINGER of Sand Springs was reported missing by her family, said Officer Lucky Lamons.
After several days of searching, her body was discovered in a shallow grave in the Arkansas River bed near 161st West Avenue, Lamons said.
Brett Alan Harris reported he dropped her off about 10 p.m. in a restaurant parking lot in Sand Springs, where he reported seeing her climb into a green pickup truck, Lamons said.
He said that Harris eventually was charged with first-degree murder in connection with her death, and was acquitted.
Lamons said that from the onset of the investigation, there seemed to be more than one person involved in the slaying.
Anyone with information on this crime can call Crime Stoppers at 596-COPS.
Callers can remain anonymous.
The Citizens Crime Commission pays cash rewards for information leading to the arrest of conviction of people who have committed felony crimes.
--
Edited by thecopsknew at 10/31/2009 1:54 AM PDT
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Posts:
2
Registered:
9/21/09
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(8 of 9)
Re: Paula Stringer killed Sand Springs Oklahoma
Sep 21, 2009 11:11 PM
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My book club is reading Because It Is Bitter and Because It is My Heart, by Joyce Carol Oates. Part of the story is a teen murder, and it made me remember a girl I knew in school that had been murdered.
She went to a different high school, but I remember seeing her in junior high. We were in the same gym class. I remember her sitting behind me in one class or another, and seeing her in the hallway between classes. She had light brown, feathered hair, and I remember her being popular.
After high school, I was working and living at my mother's house when I picked up the paper and read the story, that a girl I knew had been murdered. I saw her picture, and I remember being shaken.
I remember reading later stories in the paper, that a boy named Roy Sewell was to testify in the case, but kept changing his story. Remembering this now bothered me so much that I contacted both the Tulsa World and the Tulsa library system. I had the wrong name, but I had the right girl. Paula Stringer. The library sent me a copy of the original news story that I didn't see, what happened to Paula.
She was found buried in a river bed up to her neck. She had head wounds and had been stabbed several times. She was found wearing nothng but a torn blouse and socks. What I wanted to see was her picture, her face, that I was remembering the same girl. I was. I should have said a prayer for her back when I saw the first article. I didn't because I was so shocked, and young, and didn't know that I should. I'm making up for it now.
I remember Oklahoma. It's backwater, disgusting, dirty place. People there don't acually move away. They stay close. Someone there, even after all of this time, knows what happened to Paula, and that's why I'm writing this.
Please, AETV, consider making this a real live Cold Case File with a reward. Thank you for listening to me.
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Posts:
2
Registered:
9/21/09
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(7 of 9)
Re: Paula Stringer killed Sand Springs Oklahoma
Sep 21, 2009 10:38 PM
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My book club is reading Because It Is Bitter and Because It is My Heart, by Joyce Carol Oates. Part of the story is a teen murder, and it made me remember a girl I knew in school that had been murdered.
She went to a different high school, but I remember seeing her in junior high. We were in the same gym class. I remember her sitting behind me in one class or another, and seeing her in the hallway between classes. She had light brown, feathered hair, and I remember her being popular.
After high school, I was working and living at my mother's house when I picked up the paper and read the story, that a girl I knew had been murdered. I saw her picture, and I remember being shaken.
I remember reading later stories in the paper, that a boy named Roy Sewell was to testify in the case, but kept changing his story. Remembering this now bothered me so much that I contacted both the Tulsa World and the Tulsa library system. I had the wrong name, but I had the right girl. Paula Stringer. The library sent me a copy of the original news story that I didn't see, what happened to Paula.
She was found buried in a river bed up to her neck. She had head wounds and had been stabbed several times. She was found wearing nothng but a torn blouse and socks. What I wanted to see was her picture, her face, that I was remembering the same girl. I was. I should have said a prayer for her back when I saw the first article. I didn't because I was so shocked, and young, and didn't know that I should. I'm making up for it now.
I remember Oklahoma. It's backwater, disgusting, dirty place. People there don't acually move away. They stay close. Someone there, even after all of this time, knows what happened to Paula, and that's why I'm writing this.
Please, AETV, consider making this a real live Cold Case File with a reward. Thank you for listening to me.
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Posts:
1
Registered:
8/9/09
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(6 of 9)
Re: Paula Stringer killed Sand Springs Oklahoma
Aug 9, 2009 7:46 AM
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Have you checked with the Sand Springs Leader? The editor is Dustin Hughes. He's a young kid and may not remember. However, I do know Rodney Echohawk is still there and they refer to him as the "historian." He should remember.
Check the website for the Leader and email Echohawk.
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Posts:
1
From:
oklahoma
Registered:
6/12/09
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(5 of 9)
Re: Paula Stringer killed Sand Springs Oklahoma
Jun 12, 2009 7:44 AM
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me and my wife were riding our dirt bikes on the river, we saw a person acting kinda strange, the vehicle was a toyota land cruiser, there were two people in it. Its hard to explain, but it just seemed weird to us at the time. A few days later I saw a bunch of police cars down in that same area on the river. I then found out that a body had been found down there. I called the police and reported what we saw. A detective came and wrote up a report, he then had us show him where the toyota was sitting on that day we were riding, when we showed him the spot,he told us that it was the exact spot where paula was found. then he drove us to spears wrecker and we identified the toyota land cruiser that they had in custody. the detective told us that we would probably have to testify, because we could place the vehicle that that spot where she was found. we never heard from the police again. I did some stuff after that though. I heard that the killer had confessed to a guy named danny pryor, at least i think his name was pryor, iactually had went to school with danny. I also had heard that there was alot of people that had seen the killer washing out the inside of his toyoya at the car wash, if I remember correctly, the car washing was done late at night or early morning before daylight. If memory serves me right his name was brett allen harris. it was along time ago. I have thought about this several time over the years. last night, for some reason I was thinking about it, so i googled paula stringer, that is how i got here. Its been so long ago, I'm not sure if I got the name right, but I do remember what we saw.
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Posts:
2
Registered:
3/1/09
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(4 of 9)
Re: Paula Stringer killed Sand Springs Oklahoma
Mar 23, 2009 4:05 AM
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I think they picked that guy up pretty quickly after her death. I seem to remember them talking about tracing her steps back and something about her being picked up by some people she knew. Then something about one of them hitting on her and her turning him down, resulting in (they thought) her death. That was the guy they put in "protective custody".
But I was pretty young then, so I might not be completely correct.
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Posts:
4,738
Registered:
10/26/08
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(3 of 9)
Re: Paula Stringer killed Sand Springs Oklahoma
Mar 1, 2009 8:02 AM
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Did they feel like they had put the guy in protective cutody in a TIMELY MANNER?
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Posts:
2
Registered:
3/1/09
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(2 of 9)
Re: Paula Stringer killed Sand Springs Oklahoma
Mar 1, 2009 1:44 AM
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I'm just now finding this post, but I do remember very well. She was a friend of my Aunt's, and I haven't ever found anything else about it either. The last things I'd heard were where they'd found her and that they had a guy in protective custody because her father believed he'd killed Paula and they were afraid he'd try to hurt him.
I'd love to see some digging around in this case myself, and I hope that maybe time and technology can help solve this.
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Posts:
12
From:
Oklahoma
Registered:
12/27/07
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(1 of 9)
Paula Stringer killed Sand Springs Oklahoma
Dec 28, 2007 4:35 PM
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Does anyone remember this murder? I have looked for info all over the place but haven't had any leads at all. It was in the early eighties and there was an arrest but nothing came of it. I would really like to see justice for Paula...can anyone add more info to this? I cannot recall all the details at this time...but I knew paula she was a very nice very respectable girl she didn't deserve to die...and whoever did it should be made to pay...hopefully if interest gets stirred up then someone will come forward with information...to help solve her murder...the truth needs to come out...
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