OK OK - Dena Dean, 16, Tulsa, 6 June 1998

On June 6, 1998, Dena left Marvin's store at the Town West Shopping Center after telling her mom she was going to meet a boy to talk.

She was never heard from again, and a week later, her body was found in a field not far from there and her car left in the parking lot...

The family believes Dena's killer was the boy she went to meet that day, but even with new fingerprint and DNA technology, there has never been enough evidence to make an arrest.

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"What we believe is that this was not random," said Tulsa County Sgt. Shannon Clark. "That somebody in her social network was the perpetrator of this crime. There are people in that group that may have information."

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Investigators have gone back to interviews done in the days while Dena was still missing and gone back over physical evidence from the field where her body was found. Investigators believe new fingerprint techniques and new DNA testing can reveal new facts.

"We're also looking at our physical evidence. We have some specific pieces of evidence from the scene that were collected and we're doing research on new testing to see what can be done with those," said Tulsa County Sheriff's Sgt. Gary Frazier...

The cause of death was never determined because of the condition of the body but the medical examiner did conclude it was a homicide.

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TULSA, Okla. —
New DNA technology gives crime victims and families hope

The city of Tulsa Forensic Lab is one of the first labs in the country to use a state-of-the-art laser that can separate a suspect and victim’s DNA cells in samples that are too mixed. Police and victims told FOX23 that they hope the new technology will help solve more cases and reduce DNA testing backlog.

West Tulsa resident Diana Dean has high hopes as well. She is the mother of Dena Dean, who was slain in 1998.
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She prays this new laser cracks her daughter’s case. Wilson (Tulsa Forensic Lab Manager) says that if there is enough DNA evidence left in Dena Dean’s case, they could use the laser to try and get a clearer DNA profile.

“As the years go by, [my family] keeps hoping that there is something new or something better that will come up and help [the case],” Diana said.

She keeps Dena’s memory alive by telling her story whenever she can while she waits for the day, she can finally have justice.

“I have to fight for her. She doesn’t have a voice, so I have to fight for her.”

The lab will start using the laser sometime in the summer.

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Alongside the family of a murder victim whose case has gone unsolved for 18 years, Tulsa Co. Sheriff Vic Regalado announced the creation of a new Cold Case Task Force.

&#8220;We know that we are responsible and owe them a debt of closure,&#8221; said Sheriff Vic Regalado.

Sheriff Regalado made the announcement on the 18th anniversary of the murder of Dena Dean , whose body was found in a field a week after she disappeared from the Town West shopping center.

"It gives me renewed hope. I feel it's kind of been stale for the last few years. I know that they've been working on it, but I still think the fresh eyes is gonna help," said Dena's mother Diana.

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On Wednesday, a new investigation into these cases began as the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office started tackling 28 of Tulsa's unsolved murders.

Mike Huff solved some of the highest-profile murders in Tulsa's history in his 31 years as a Tulsa police detective. He's currently head of the International Association of Cold Case Investigators.
"There are some cases here from decades ago," Huff said.

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"I hope they find the answers to ours, but as long as they find the answers to one," Larry Dean, Dena's father said.

The cases will be reassessed by a Cold Case task Force, made up of 10 members, from retired Tulsa police and FBI investigators, to homicide detectives among many others.

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Months after the sheriff’s office started it’s Cold Case Task Force, there could be a break in an 18-year-old cold case.

The task force has 28 cold cases needing to be solved; Dena Dean is one of them.

"My advice to the perpetrator would be, don't buy any green bananas," said forensic profiler, Dr. Richard Walter.

"Do I expect some success in this case, yes. Why? Because the perp made some mistakes," Walter said.

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A Tulsa family is still looking for answers nearly 20 years after Dena Dean was murdered.

To celebrate Dena's 35th birthday, family and friends released balloons Sunday in her memory at the floral haven cemetery where Dean is buried.

Family members say they've waited a long time for answers and hopes investigators will one day soon find the person responsible.

This moment of celebration is just that, a moment out of years and years of sadness and mystery.

"The family is pulling together and friends we're gonna make it work this year," said Dena's father, Larry Dean. "We're going to get answers."

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Since sheriff's office established the Cold Case Task Force, they have hinted that they're getting closer to making an arrest.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact them.

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Mike Huff, coordinator of the task force, said they sifted through 10 boxes full of data from previous detectives on the case. He said they are reviewing physical evidence to determine if new technology would produce new insights.

“If we didn’t think there was a possibility of an arrest, we are all smart enough to say we are wasting our time,” Huff said.

“I truly believe we have an idea from an investigative stand point who has been responsible for that, but right now we are lacking enough evidence to prosecute that case,” Regalado said.

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There are new developments in a 19-year-old Tulsa cold case.

Investigators say they're working on new angles on this case, but can't say what they are yet.

The Dean family feels they're close to a breakthrough.

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[h=3]Cold Case Squad Looking To Solve '98 Murder[/h] Posted: Dec 04, 2017

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Sources told News On 6, investigators are now looking for and want to talk to three potential witnesses.

Sources say Dowilla Converse lived about a mile from where Dena's body was found. Investigators believe she has information specific to the case and are asking her to come forward.

They are also looking for a woman named Samantha.

They say about a year and a half ago, she was drinking at the It'll Do Lounge and told someone she knew about the suspects and named names.

Investigators don't know her last name but believe she lives in the West Tulsa area.

Finally, they want to talk to a security guard who worked at a bingo parlor in the Town West Shopping Center the night Dean disappeared, June 6, 1998

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If anyone knows where these three witnesses are, please call Crime Stoppers at 918-596-COPS.

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[h=1]Dena Dean cold case: New technology gives Tulsa investigators hope of solving abduction and murder[/h]A special team of investigators with hundreds of thousands of hours on the job believes they are closer than ever to catching a killer, one who haunted Oklahoma for years.
Crime Watch Daily visits Tulsa, Oklahoma, where a family that has been waiting a very long time may finally get the justice they so desperately deserve.

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Dena was an honor student and a member of the marching band at Webster High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with dreams of becoming an attorney. But when Dena turned sweet 16, the fan of auto-racing stopped chasing cars and took a sharp turn toward boys.

Dena's parents thought she was just dating boys her own age. What Larry and Diana didn't know was their daughter had secretly been seeing a new guy.

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For nearly two decades Dena Dean's case remained ice cold -- but not anymore.

Inside a "war room" within the Tulsa County Sheriff's Department lies the country's only known civilian cold-case task force.

"I formed a task force of retired Tulsa policemen, FBI, DEA, ATF, I mean a group of just outstanding people," said Mike Huff, coordinator of the Tulsa Cold Case Task Force.

And they're not just any people volunteering. Even though they're retired, these are 22 of the best in the business, with more than 1,000 years of experience between them. And please don't ever question their motivation. They aren't paid for this.

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Detectives tell Crime Watch Daily they are waiting on a few key tests to come back but that they believe an arrest or several arrests are near.

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