Latest news with #KOCO5
New York Post
4 days ago
- New York Post
Person of interest in 2010 cold case murder of Oklahoma mom shoots himself in the head on Zoom call with horrified investigators
A person of interest in a cold case killing of an Oklahoma mother who was beaten to death in front of her baby 15 years ago shot himself in the head in the middle of a Zoom call with police about his possible involvement. Michael Thomas — a longtime person of interest in the killing of 34-year-old Julie Mitchell — requested that his meeting last week with investigators be virtual rather than in person before he killed himself on camera, according to local reports. 3 Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, KOCO 5 Advertisement Thomas, 54, shot himself during the May 31 Zoom after being on the call for about 45 minutes, his shocked attorney Ed Blau told The Oklahoman. 'The phone landed right by his head, so we got to hear him die, hear the death rattle,' the attorney said Tuesday. 'It was as shocking and horrific as you can imagine.' Thomas, who took the call from a wooded area outside a Kansas casino, was being questioned as part of the investigation into the murder of Mitchell, who was beaten to death in the bedroom of her Oklahoma City home in November 2010. Her 13-month-old baby was discovered unharmed right by her bludgeoned body. Advertisement Police found Mitchell's body in the master bedroom closet. Approximately $30,000 was missing from a closet safe, according to The Oklahoman. Thomas — whose company checkbook was found at Mitchell's home after her death — had been a person of interest in the case for years, and was interviewed by police at least five or six times, his lawyer told KOCO 5. When investigators wanted to question him again this week, Thomas agreed – but on one condition, the station reported. He insisted that the meeting not be in person. Advertisement 3 Julie Mitchell was beaten to death in her Oklahoma City home in 2010. 'Beggars can't always be choosers, and this is somebody we wanted to talk to, we needed to talk to. There were questions we needed to have answered by him,' Master Sgt. Gary Knight with the Oklahoma City Police Department told KOCO. So Thomas, Blau and Oklahoma City detectives arranged for a Zoom call on May 31 that Thomas was going to take out of the state. 'He had agreed to be interviewed by detectives, but only on the stipulation that he wasn't going to be at the same location. He wanted to be in a manner like a Zoom call,' Knight added. Advertisement Oklahoma City Police Detective Bryn Carter told News 9 that Thomas dominated the conversation. 'He didn't give me an opportunity to ask him any questions,' Carter said. 'He controlled the conversation from start to finish.' 3 Michael Thomas shot himself in the head during police questioning on Zoom. KOCO 5 About 45 minutes into the call, in the middle of questioning, Thomas took out a gun and shot himself in the head, according to reports. The cops on the call said they had never experienced anything that shocking before during an interview. 'I don't remember in my time here, 35 years here, someone killing themselves during an interview,' Knight told KOCO. 'In 31 years on the police department doing hundreds of hundreds of interviews, I've never had anyone commit suicide in front of me,' Carter echoed. Over the years and rounds of questioning, Thomas — who reportedly owed a gambling debt to Mitchell's bookie husband — repeatedly denied having anything to do with the fatal beating of Mitchell. Advertisement 'I — 100% — did not,' he told The Oklahoman in 2012. 'That's for sure.' Cops are continuing to investigate the cold case.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Oklahomans brace for possible tornadoes, golf ball size hail and 80 mph winds this weekend
Storm anxiety builds across Oklahoma ahead of weekend forecast The skies above Oklahoma may soon turn dangerous, and residents are preparing for the worst. After a calm start to May, severe weather is set to return this weekend with a trifecta of threats including tornadoes, hail, and damaging winds. KOCO 5 Chief Meteorologist Damon Lane said the window for Saturday's (May 24) severe weather stretches from 4 p.m. to midnight, with much of the state under a slight risk. But it is central and southwest Oklahoma that face an elevated threat of tornado activity. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Secure Your Child's Future with Strong English Fluency Planet Spark Learn More Undo Also read: Memorial Day 2025 weekend USA weather forecast: Location wise snow, rainfall details are out Adding to the concern is the potential for hail the size of golf balls and wind gusts reaching up to 80 miles per hour. Despite the severity of the threats, the storms themselves are expected to be isolated, meaning not everyone will be impacted, but those who are could see serious damage. Live Events Storms may hit Oklahoma City by Sunday evening The severe weather risk does not end with Saturday. On Sunday, between 3 p.m. and midnight, more strong storms are expected, this time sweeping into the state from the west. Forecasters say these storms could enter the Oklahoma City metro around 8 p.m. and continue pushing east through the night. As of now, the National Weather Service has placed much of Oklahoma under a slight risk for severe weather on Sunday as well. The primary concern remains damaging winds and large hail, although tornadoes cannot be ruled out entirely. This multi-day severe weather forecast has raised alarms among both meteorologists and local residents. While May is historically Oklahoma's peak tornado month, the combination of high wind, isolated supercells, and evening storm development makes this weekend especially unpredictable. Also read: Memorial Day 2025 weather forecast: Will sluggish storm dampen your plans? Check details Residents urged to stay weather aware Meteorologists recommend that Oklahomans have multiple ways to receive weather alerts over the weekend. With the potential for tornadoes and other extreme conditions during overnight hours, being informed could be lifesaving. Damon Lane and his team at KOCO 5 will be providing continuous updates across TV and social media as new data comes in. While no one can say for certain where or when a tornado might touch down, early warning and preparation remain the best tools for safety.
Express Tribune
02-04-2025
- Climate
- Express Tribune
Tornado watch issued in Oklahoma as severe storms approach
Listen to article A tornado watch has been issued for much of Oklahoma, including the Oklahoma City (OKC) metro area, as severe storms are expected to sweep through the state early Wednesday morning. The tornado watch is in effect until 10 a.m. Wednesday local time (8 p.m. PKT, Wednesday). A tornado watch means that conditions are favorable for the formation of tornadoes, though none have been confirmed yet. It is issued when there is a heightened risk of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes in a specific area, and residents are advised to be prepared and stay alert to weather updates . A tornado watch does not mean a tornado is imminent but signals the potential for dangerous weather. According to KOCO 5 Meteorologist Jonathan Conder, the storms, which began around 3 a.m. local time (1 p.m. PKT) in east-central Oklahoma near El Reno and Enid, have the potential to produce strong tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds. The storm system is moving rapidly eastward, with the Oklahoma City metro area expected to be impacted by 4 a.m. local time (2 p.m. PKT). The storms are set to pass east of Interstate 35 and the OKC metro by 6 a.m. local time (4 p.m. PKT) Wednesday, continuing into eastern and southeastern Oklahoma between 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. local time (6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. PKT). The highest storm risk after 7 a.m. local time (5 p.m. PKT) will be in southeastern Oklahoma, where a Level 3 Enhanced Risk has been issued. This indicates a higher likelihood of severe weather, including intense tornadoes. Additionally, a rare Level 5 High Risk warning has been issued for the Mississippi River Valley, signaling an even more dangerous storm threat. Residents across Oklahoma are advised to stay informed, monitor weather updates, and take appropriate precautions as the storms continue to develop.
