OK OK - Ray Nathaniel Johnson Jr, 34, Tulsa, 11 September 2008

NamUs

Charley Project



Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
• Missing Since: September 11, 2008 from Tulsa, Oklahoma
• Classification: Endangered Missing
• Date of Birth: October 27, 1973
• Age: 34 years old
• Height and Weight: 6'2 - 6'3, 230 - 250 pounds
• Distinguishing Characteristics: African-American male. Black hair, brown eyes. Johnson's hair was cut in a low fade style at the time of his disappearance.

Details of Disappearance
Johnson was last seen in Tulsa, Oklahoma on September 11, 2008. He spoke to his wife on the phone at 11:00 p.m. and said he was going to tow a vehicle with his wrecker and he'd be home soon. Johnson owned an auto dealership, Straight Up Auto Sales in the 6000 block of north Peoria Avenue. He was last seen at 11:30 p.m., driving the white 2000 Chevrolet Impala he'd just acquired. The vehicle was a former police patrol car and still had police decals, sirens and lights on it.

When Johnson didn't arrive home, his wife went to the dealership and saw the Impala in the locked car lot. The car had a strong odor of bleach. A baseball hat and one of Johnson's shoes, possibly bloodstained, were in the trunk, which also smelled like bleach. The vehicle was unlocked with the window rolled down; it would be uncharacteristic of Johnson to leave it in that condition. There was no sign of him at the scene.

Johnson has six children. He's described as a workaholic, and it's uncharacteristic of him to leave without warning. Foul play is suspected in his case, which remains unsolved.


Murder Charges Filed In Tulsa Cold Case; Detectives Search For Suspect

http://www.newson6.com/story/29527115/murder-charges-filed-in-tulsa-cold-case-detectives-search-for-suspect

A 7-year-old cold case has new developments as first-degree murder charges have been filed in the case of a missing Tulsa man.

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Police Looking For Missing Person - September 16, 2008

Tulsa man missing; officials fear foul play - September 25, 2008

Tulsa Cold Case Murder Suspect Turns Himself In

Walker announced that Epperson, 39, turned himself in Sunday. His arraignment is scheduled for July 17, 2015.

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A bit more information here:

Man arrested in connection to disappearance of north Tulsa man seven yrs. ago

The car he was driving the night he disappeared was recovered from his used car lot. But his body has never been found.
Last year, a new detective took on the case. He's been working with the DA's office to strengthen the case.
Sgt. Dave Walker says new information witnesses, as well as evidence from inside Johnson's car helped to narrow the focus to Gregory Epperson.

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http://iic.tulsacounty.org/InmateDetails.aspx?Id=20150712046

Information on the court proceedings so far.

http://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?query=true&srch=0&web=true&db=Tulsa&icasetype=&iDATEL=&iDATEH=&iCLOSEDL=&iCLOSEDH=&number=CF-2015-3560&iLast=&iFirst=&iMiddle=&iID=&iDOBL=&iDOBH=&SearchType=0&iAPT=&iDCPT=&iDCType=0&iYear=&iNumber=&icitation=&submitted=true

Murder charge dismissed against suspect in Tulsa man's 2008 disappearance

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/courts/murder-charge-dismissed-against-suspect-in-tulsa-man-s-disappearance/article_8397e0e1-860f-513c-8d45-2622f467a024.html

Prosecutors have dropped a murder charge against a Tulsa man pending further investigation in the alleged killing of a businessman who went missing in 2008.

The murder charge against Gregory Jerome Epperson, 40, was dismissed Friday, three days before his jury trial was set to begin in Tulsa County District Court.

Assistant District Attorney John David Luton said that after meeting with the victim’s family and homicide detectives, prosecutors decided they were not ready to proceed to trial.

“We didn’t feel like there was sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt, with the evidence we had,” Luton told the Tulsa World on Monday. “And if we did take it in front of a jury and they found him not guilty, we’d be forever barred against prosecuting him.”

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:bump:

Ray has been missing for nine years now.

Charges were dropped against Greg Epperson for this case but he is now facing murder charges in a separate homicide.

OK - Kelsey Tennant, 19, strangled by suspected multi-murderer, Tulsa, March 2017

http://www.krmg.com/news/local/man-accused-strangling-south-tulsa-woman-faced-murder-charges-2008/YwgtcrbIdgeut6l1Df4pYP/

“The prosecution of Gregory Jerome Epperson for the death of Ray Johnson was discontinued due to significant concerns about the lack of corroborating evidence to convict him,” Kunzweiler noted.

Johnson’s body was never found, there were no eye-witnesses to his death.

Kunzweiler said the key and only witness against him, a convicted felon and known associate of both Johnson and Epperson, could not be sufficiently corroborated by independent evidence as to his accusations against Epperson.

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