OK OK - Brittany Phillips, 19, Tulsa, 27 Sept 2004

[Deleted member 165632]

Thought of something else after seeing the update on the DNA composite.

Brittany was raped and murdered, yet there was never any DNA hit in the system for her killer. I wondered if Oklahoma had an untested rape kit backlog. According to this article, Oklahoma is currently auditing for untested rape kits.

https://www.readfrontier.org/storie...pe-kits-unlikely-to-be-completed-by-deadline/

For example, Oklahoma City completed its audit and found it had 1,593 untested rape kits.

As for Tulsa Police, the article says:

The Tulsa Police Department does not have a backlog of current rape kits waiting to be tested.
However, the agency has thousands of kits going back to the mid-80s, and it’s unknown how many are untested, Phippen said. The department typically does not throw out any of its rape kits.

Depressing to think that if Brittany's killer was a repeat offender, his DNA could be in other untested rape kits in Oklahoma or any other state.

 

[interestedincases]

I just saw something on Facebook with the killer's possible photo and came here to see if there was a thread. I'm bummed there are only two pages but it really sounds like there isn't much to go on. I did look at the website for her and it's filled with information. Hugs to the mom who continues to fight for her daughter

 

[Sincerely]

I just saw something on Facebook with the killer's possible photo and came here to see if there was a thread. I'm bummed there are only two pages but it really sounds like there isn't much to go on. I did look at the website for her and it's filled with information. Hugs to the mom who continues to fight for her daughter

I do wish there was more publicity on this. I’m glad to see a picture released. I hope it generates a lot of tips.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Scholes18]

Just compiling some sources and thoughts on this case. It deserves way more attention.

Brittany Phillips Murder: THE MURDER

• Brittany spent her Freshman year of college at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL from 8/2003 to 5/2004 where she studied chemistry.
• Moved back to Tulsa (65th & Mingo) Eagle Glen apartments in June(ish) 2004. Her apt was on the 2nd floor.
• Eagle Glen Apartments are next to Union High-School (where Brittany graduated in '03)
• She was attending Tulsa Community College (TCC).
• She seems to have been attracted to a guy who lived in her apartment complex, and they occasionally hung out in her apartment.
• Monday 9/27/2004 Brittany left TCC downtown campus at 7:30pm to try to get a walk in appointment for allergies.
• Brittany spoke to her mother at about 9PM. Sounded normal - she told her mom she was dropping off a friend and then she was going to her apartment.
• Police think she was raped and murdered between 9PM on Monday 9/27 and 8AM Tuesday 9/28.
• Mom says that Brittany was raped and suffocated.
• Brittany had classes Tuesday that she never showed up for.

Oklahoma mother continues searching for daughter’s killer

• Brittany's apartment showed signs of a break in.
• Police think perp could have gained access through french doors on the balcony or through an unlocked window on the 2nd floor.

Murder of the Girl Next Door

• The 2nd floor apartments shared a common attic space.
• A window screen in the apartment had been removed.
• "It didn't look like someone broke in, but there was some disruption."
• Brittany's body was discovered by an officer at 8:59PM 9/30 (Thursday)
• Police think the perp could have been in the apartment when Brittany arrived home on 9/27.
• “Every male friend she had, ex-boyfriends, people in Florida, males in the area, janitors at the high school, anyone she knew or knew of her friends…everyone was tested.”

Police reveal more evidence in Tulsa murder

• Police recovered a pillowcase in Brittany's apartment that didn't match her linens.

TPD releases sketch in connection with 2004 east Tulsa murder

• Police release sketch of the suspect based on DNA collected at the scene
• Suspect is white, blond/light brown hair, blue or green eyes.

Questions/Notes:

1. It certainly sounds as though they've tested a lot of the guys Brittany might have come in contact with.
2. Who would have known of Brittany that they might not have tested?
3. Where did the DNA evidence come from? rape kit? pillowcase? both?
4. Were there signs of a break in or not?
5. Why would the suspect bring a pillowcase?
6. Were there signs of a struggle?

Botched Burglary theory - Seems unlikely to me:

1. Didn't steal anything (that we know of)
2. Brought a pillowcase, which seems weird. I've been robbed before and the burglars just used my sheets to wrap up what they took. They didn't bring their own with them.
3. If the pillowcase is not Brittany's, then maybe the suspect used it to carry something into Brittany's apartment?

Boyfriend theory - seems unlikely

1. Given the # of people they've tested against crime scene DNA, it seems like the boyfriends/ ex-boyfriends would have been cleared?

High-School Kid theory - Plausible

1. Eagle Glen apartments was next to Union High-School (where Brittany graduated in '03).
2. Were there any high-school guys (class of '04 or '05) who may have known Brittany (or knew of her), and found out she was back from FL?

College Guy theory - Plausible

1. Sounds like a lot of the college guys she knew would have been tested
2. Maybe there were other others that knew her?

Maintenance Guy/Utilities Guy theory - Plausible

1. Brittany had only moved into her apartment recently
2. Maybe a mover, cable guy, or maintenance guy had been to her apartment?
3. A maintenance guy might have known the apartments shared attic space? Would a cable guy have known?
4. But it seems like a maintenance guy would have been asked for a DNA swab?

 

[Scholes18]

Questions/Notes:

Should also include:

Traveler Theory. - Plausible

• Someone traveling through Tulsa.
• Could have been someone traveling I-35, I-44, I-40, US75, US169, US412
• Might explain why Brittany's case hasn't been linked to other crimes.

 

[Scholes18]

I think the picture below is the floor plan of Brittany's apartment.

There are pictures of the outside of the apartment on the Tulsa PD's unsolved crime page:
TPD Unsolved Crimes

Police think that the killer could have gotten in through the window next to the front door, which was unlocked according to this website: http://www.darksleuth.com/2016/01/brittany-phillips.html

Plus the the screen was off the window and inside the apartment according to this site: Murder of the Girl Next Door).

Or he could have come in through the french doors on the balcony.

Plus there's the possibility that the killer gained access to her apartment through the shared attic space. All the 2nd floor units (I think I read that there are 8 units per building) shared the same attic space.

But it's also possible that he was invited in - I've read in interviews that Brittany's mom said the phenotype sketch looks like a person Brittany might have thought of as attractive. Maybe it was someone she knew? Maybe she answered the door and he forced his way in?

Floor Plans | Tulsa Oklahoma Apartments | Somerset Park at Union

 

[MicheleT]

Another article about this case. I didn't see anything new.
DNA evidence plus genealogy research can close cold cases, and now a Tulsa detective is trying it to find Brittany Phillips' killer

 

[Niner]

Another article about this case. I didn't see anything new.
DNA evidence plus genealogy research can close cold cases, and now a Tulsa detective is trying it to find Brittany Phillips' killer

I'm going to say - they are going to find the killer thru this genealogy research. So far WS has had about 4 or 5 solved cold cases this way!
Praying for Justice for you Brittany!

 

[Scholes18]

I'm going to say - they are going to find the killer thru this genealogy research. So far WS has had about 4 or 5 solved cold cases this way!
Praying for Justice for you Brittany!

It certainly seems inevitable that DNA will solve this one. It's just a matter of time.

 

[keeleydoll]

Her mom is on Nancy Grace today and said they’re also working with the team that caught GSK on familial genetics now!

 

[tlneedham]

Her mom is on Nancy Grace today and said they’re also working with the team that caught GSK on familial genetics now!

I caught that episode and it sounded like some people said the sketch looked like a co-worker that they all thought was weird and helped place the cable lines at those
apartments—but she didn’t say of anything came of this tip.

 

[Scholes18]

Her mom is on Nancy Grace today and said they’re also working with the team that caught GSK on familial genetics now!

Wow! So glad that Nancy Grace had her on!
Episode available on stitcher & itunes
Mom drives across USA searching for daughter's killer & stops by Nancy's studio from Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace by Crime Online on Apple Podcasts

 

[Scholes18]

This could be important:

"The Tulsa Police Department started to audit its untested kits last year and found about 3,000 going back to the early 90s. The grant will allow the agency to spend only up to half of the funding on testing kits, which cost about $1,000 each to process. That would allow the department to use the grant to test about 750 kits."

https://www.readfrontier.org/storie...s-old-sexual-assault-cases-could-be-reopened/

 

[Scholes18]

"Tulsa police began using a specific type of DNA comparison to help narrow their search in August 2018."

COLD CASE: New initiatives come from Brittany Phillips murder case

Sounds promising. They're going to catch this guy. And Dr. Zingman continues to fight on behalf of her daughter.

 

[JenniferTx]

Has there been any updates on Brittany's case? I think about her poor mom alot.

 

[Scholes18]

Has there been any updates on Brittany's case? I think about her poor mom alot.

I haven't heard anything new. I reached out to a journalist for The Frontier a couple months ago, and she said there was a possibility they would do a story that might involve Brittany's case - The Frontier has done some really excellent work on the Oklahoma justice system and on the state's rape kit backlog. Seems like they'd do a good job, and it would dovetail with a lot of the work they already do.

 

[interestedincases]

'Just Like Us:' Lesson Brings Tulsa Murder Victim To Life For Union Students

TULSA, Oklahoma - Union High School graduate Brittany Phillips was murdered in 2004, and now a group of Union seniors is studying her case in their criminology class.



The teacher, Mrs. Anderson, wanted to teach DNA to the class but worried it would be boring - so she decided to have them study the real, unsolved murder of Brittany Phillips.


First, they researched the scene, the evidence and possible suspects. On Tuesday, they got to meet Brittany's mother.


These students learned Brittany graduated Union at age 17 and was a chemistry major in Tulsa, living in a South Tulsa apartment when she was raped and strangled.


Studying her case really hit home.


"She walked down the exact same hallway as I walk down every day," said Sydnee Lawerent, senior.


Senior Ethan Cain said, "She was like one of us."

 

[JenniferTx]

'Just Like Us:' Lesson Brings Tulsa Murder Victim To Life For Union Students

TULSA, Oklahoma - Union High School graduate Brittany Phillips was murdered in 2004, and now a group of Union seniors is studying her case in their criminology class.



The teacher, Mrs. Anderson, wanted to teach DNA to the class but worried it would be boring - so she decided to have them study the real, unsolved murder of Brittany Phillips.


First, they researched the scene, the evidence and possible suspects. On Tuesday, they got to meet Brittany's mother.


These students learned Brittany graduated Union at age 17 and was a chemistry major in Tulsa, living in a South Tulsa apartment when she was raped and strangled.


Studying her case really hit home.


"She walked down the exact same hallway as I walk down every day," said Sydnee Lawerent, senior.


Senior Ethan Cain said, "She was like one of us."

What a great idea Mrs. Anderson had. Wish all teachers would follow her lead. Glad they all had the chance to meet Brittany's mother as well.

 

[Scholes18]

Looking back on 13-year-old murder case

I was reading this article from last month and there was a piece of information that I don't think I'd seen anywhere else...

Brittany dropped her friend off at her apartment at 51st and Memorial (possibly the Cobblestone Apartments? not sure what they would have been called at the time). If she went straight home, her route could have looked something like this. This would have been after 9:00pm, which is about when Brittany told her mom on the phone that she was with her friend and was taking her home...



She probably went straight home since it was after 9:00pm on a Monday. Most of the shopping and restaurants would have been closed. She wasn't old enough to get into a bar. If she stopped anywhere, it was either at a gas station (seems unlikely, since I'm assuming the police would have checked for CCTV, and I think they would have released that info), or maybe another friend's place? I don't see any reason to think she didn't go straight home, especially since she had class Tuesday morning, and she'd told her mom she tried to get a walk-in appointment for her allergies (so presumably she wasn't feeling well).

I don't think I buy into the idea that it was a completely random thing - like her killer just happened to pick her apartment. She was a pretty girl. She lived alone. It doesn't seem to have been a robbery gone wrong. There doesn't appear to be anything different about her apartment that would have made it more susceptible to a burglary.

With that in mind, the police seem to have tested everyone they could think of that she might have known. So I think it's someone she either encountered that day who followed her home, or she had a stalker that she didn't know about. My bet is that she had a stalker who was waiting on her to get home, and his obsession had progressed to the point that he was bold enough to try to get into her apartment. Maybe he was already inside when she got home.

Anyway, that's just my completely amateur 2 cents. I'd be curious to hear what other people think.

 

[JnRyan]

Brittany's case on the "Unresolved" podcast. I haven't seen it covered anywhere else on podcasts or YouTube videos and this is how I found out about it.

Brittany Phillips