FILE 214 / 11 March 2021 / 155 MIN / full

Shot, Stabbed, Beaten, Cut & Chained

Chickasha, OklahomaListen

The town

N ↑Public placePublic placePublic placePublic placeTown centre (approximate places)
Static locations; no street basemap. Places and details. OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap.

We're going to Chickasha, Oklahoma, spelled C-H-I-C-K-A-S-H-A; it's in central Oklahoma, in Grady County, area code 405. about 0:07:16

History, in brief

Town note

Chickasha was founded by Hobart John Stone Whitley, a land developer, banker, farmer and Rock Island Railroad executive.

about 0:08:32

1892

The town was founded in 1892 when the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railways built a track through what was then Indian territory; a post office followed in June 1892.

about 0:09:27

1899

The Chickasha Cotton Oil Company, one of the earliest industrial plants in the town, was established in 1899.

about 0:09:27

Town note

When founded, Chickasha was in Pontotoc County, in what was the Chickasaw nation's territory.

about 0:09:55
All 14 history facts

Town note

Chickasha was founded by Hobart John Stone Whitley, a land developer, banker, farmer and Rock Island Railroad executive.

about 0:08:32

1892

The town was founded in 1892 when the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railways built a track through what was then Indian territory; a post office followed in June 1892.

about 0:09:27

1899

The Chickasha Cotton Oil Company, one of the earliest industrial plants in the town, was established in 1899.

about 0:09:27

Town note

When founded, Chickasha was in Pontotoc County, in what was the Chickasaw nation's territory.

about 0:09:55

1908

The Oklahoma Industrial Institute and College for Girls was established in Chickasha in 1908.

about 0:10:29

Town note

Local rancher J.B. Sparks donated the land for the school in memory of his daughter Nelly, a Chickasaw descendant whose allotment the land had been part of.

about 0:11:10

1916

The Nelly Sparks dormitory commemorated her; the school was renamed the Oklahoma College for Women in 1916.

about 0:11:44

1965

It became co-educational in 1965 and was renamed the Oklahoma College of Liberal Arts.

about 0:11:53

1975

It was renamed again in 1975 as the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.

about 0:12:29

1941

The Wilson and Bone Flying School opened in October 1941 to train US Army Air Force cadets; over 8,000 cadets completed training there during the Second World War.

about 0:12:37

Town note

After the war the facility became Chickasha Municipal Airport.

about 0:12:57

Town note

The army built and used Borden General Hospital during the war; the site now holds Grady Memorial Hospital, Five Oaks Medical Group, Southern Plains Medical Center and Borden Park.

about 0:13:08

1944

A prisoner of war camp was established on the site in 1944; it is now the Grady County fairgrounds.

about 0:13:26

The figures, as told

Religious

47.5%

Biggest faith: Baptists, 27.5%

about 0:22:56

Who lives here

White 74.6% · Black 6.1% · Asian 0.6% · Hispanic 9.4%

Ethnicity can overlap race.

Crime / national average

Property crime
▲ about 20% above

about 0:31:31

Violent crime
▲ about 25% higher

about 0:31:36

Money

Median home value$71,400
Two-bedroom rentabout $700 a month
Median household income$40,376
Cost of livingabout 78

For sale

$38,000

Two-bedroom, one-bath house, 744 square feet

about 0:27:24

For sale

$53,500

Two-bedroom, two-bath house, 1,505 square feet on 2.33 acres

about 0:28:02

For sale

$129,900

Three-bedroom, three-bath brick house, 1,620 square feet

about 0:28:15
All figures and comparisons, as told in 2021

Property crime

"about 20% above"

Comparison: "the national average". Direction: above.

As told in 2021 about 0:31:31

Violent crime

"about 25% higher"

Comparison: "the national average". Direction: above.

As told in 2021 about 0:31:36

Population

"16,256"

No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:22:11

Female share of the population

"52%"

Comparison: "48% male". No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:22:22

Median age

"about 37 and a half"

Comparison: "in line with the rest of the country". Direction: about the same.

As told in 2021 about 0:22:29

Divorce rate

"almost double"

Direction: above.

As told in 2021 about 0:22:42

White residents

"74.6%"

Comparison: "normally about 62%". No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:22:56

Black residents

"6.1%"

No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:22:56

Asian residents

"0.6%"

No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:22:56

Native American residents

"2.6%"

Comparison: "well above the norm". Direction: above.

As told in 2021 about 0:22:56

Hispanic residents

"9.4%"

No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:22:56

Religious residents

"47.5%"

Comparison: "Mustang, Oklahoma, about 65%". No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:22:56

Jewish residents

"0.0%"

No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:23:50

Muslim residents

"0.0%"

No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:23:57

Median household income

"$40,376"

Comparison: "about $57,500 in the rest of the country". No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:24:20

Cost of living

"about 78"

Comparison: "100 is the regular average". Direction: below.

As told in 2021 about 0:24:36

Housing index

"31 out of 100"

No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:24:49

Median home cost

"$71,400"

No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:24:53

Homes worth under $150,000

"almost 80%"

No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:26:09

Average two-bedroom rent

"about $700 a month"

Comparison: "about $1,300 in the rest of the country". No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:26:31

Two-bedroom, one-bath house, 744 square feet

"$38,000"

No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:27:24

Two-bedroom, two-bath house, 1,505 square feet on 2.33 acres

"$53,500"

No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:28:02

Three-bedroom, three-bath brick house, 1,620 square feet

"$129,900"

No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:28:15

The reviews

3.0 / 5 · average of 5

5 stars

“A basic Oklahoma town where people like high school football on Friday nights and church on Sundays; a good place to settle down quietly.”
about 0:16:30

3 stars

“A great small town with the basic commodities such as Walmart and McDonald's, mostly friendly people and a cool downtown area.”
about 0:17:24

3 stars

“A very safe place apart from the occasional mishaps; the reviewer complains about waiting too long at stop lights with no other cars around.”
about 0:17:45

3 stars

“A town where almost anything can happen; there is crime but it is not that bad, with a few things to do such as bowling, laser tag, playgrounds, a library and a thrift store.”
about 0:19:22

1 star

“The weather here will surprise you.”
about 0:20:45

In Oklahoma

Closest episodes

  1. Dark & Dirty MotivationMustang, Oklahoma · 16 July 202044 km / 27 miShow on map
  2. Perverted Pest KillerVelma, Oklahoma · 13 March 202670 km / 44 miShow on map
  3. The Bad News KillersOkarche, Oklahoma · 21 April 202276 km / 47 miShow on map
  4. The Atomic Wedgie KillerMcLoud, Oklahoma · 16 April 202387 km / 54 miShow on map
  5. Horses Of A FeatherDean, Texas · 25 February 2021132 km / 82 miShow on map

The story

Charles Keene, known to everybody as Buck, was born on 5 May 1956 and grew up to be a large, violent man of more than 200 pounds. Despite that, by January 1983 he was living back in her trailer in Chickasha, Oklahoma, with her and her two young sons, although the couple were not together.

Buck came out after them with a butcher knife and chased them into the yard. The brothers did the sensible thing and went to the deputy sheriff's office, but the deputy told them there was nothing he could do.

He was angry, and he had been on the receiving end of Buck's violence himself. The four of them, drinking and smoking, worked out a plan. They would beat Buck, throw him in a car, drive him out to a highway in the middle of nowhere and leave him with a warning never to come back. It was, as James describes it, the sort of beating a casino gives a cheat before dumping him in the desert.

They went to the trailer and Buck, strangely, offered little resistance. Buck broke free and ran. The four chased him through the dark until he reached the house of Murdle 'Possum' Brown, who lived by the Washita River. Buck banged on the door shouting, 'Possum, let me in, they're gonna kill me.' The Browns, just home from a holiday and asleep early, did not open the door. Looking out, they saw three or four men beating another man on the steps and heard one of them shout, 'This is for the way you treated our sister.' Possum telephoned the sheriff, and the men left before deputies arrived, having knocked Buck unconscious and stuffed him into the boot of the car.

They drove under a bridge near the Washita River. What happened there depends on who was talking.

One witness heard the group leave saying, 'We're going to kill Charles.' Vicky did not report Buck missing.

On 18 February 1983, nearly a month later, Buck's body was recovered from the river. He had been shot once in the head and once in the chest with the .45, his throat, chest and abdomen had been sliced open, he had stab wounds and bruises, and his left leg was broken. He was chained to a concrete block. The autopsy found the gunshot wounds were the cause of death. Blood matching Buck's type was found in the car, a .45 cartridge case was found in Possum Brown's front yard, a stain on Brown's porch proved to be Buck's blood, and a chewed piece of fabric in the dog pen matched the missing hat.

By 2019 he was still inside, next eligible in 2021. His old high school girlfriend, Donetta Bradford, who had testified against him, reconnected with him and said he was a boy who saw no other way to protect his family.

The case

Murder of Charles 'Buck' Keene

Victims

Charles 'Buck' Keene. Born 5 May 1956; Vicky Keene's ex-husband, over 200 pounds, a violent man who had beaten her for years

Accused and outcomes

As told in the episode, on 11 March 2021.

Accused

Accused

Accused

Accused

Outcome

Other people

Danny Man. Vicky's brother; chased from the trailer with a butcher knife
Charlotte Man. Man's ex-wife; testified to what she overheard
Charlesetta Garcia. Wayne's sister and girlfriend
Donetta Bradford. Wayne's high school girlfriend; testified against him, later reconnected with him
Benny McCarthy. Witness to the aftermath and to conversations about the body and the gun
Murdle 'Possum' Brown. Neighbour by the Washita River; Buck banged on his door for help

The timeline

  1. May 5th, 1956 Charles 'Buck' Keene is bornabout 0:33:30
  2. early 1980s Buck and Vicky divorce after years of him beating her; by January 1983 he is living in her trailer again (Vicky and Buck's trailer)about 0:34:40
  3. January 22nd, 1983, afternoon Danny and Man go with Vicky to her trailer to collect her car; Buck chases them out with a butcher knife (Vicky and Buck's trailer)about 0:40:27
  4. January 22nd, 1983 The brothers report the knife incident at the deputy sheriff's office and are told nothing can be done (Grady County deputy sheriff's office)about 0:42:23
  5. January 22nd, 1983 Man gives Vicky a .45 calibre pistol to defend herself (Chickasha)about 0:43:33
  6. January 22nd, 1983, night Wayne , Man, and plan to beat Buck and dump him on a highway (Chickasha)about 0:49:22
  7. January 22nd, 1983, night The four collect Buck from the trailer; Man drives, and sit either side of Buck in the back, sleeps in front (Vicky and Buck's trailer)about 0:54:54
  8. January 22nd, 1983, night At the river near Fort Street Man announces they are there to beat Buck up; Buck breaks free and runs (Fort Street)about 0:56:21
  9. January 22nd, 1983, night Buck hammers on Possum Brown's door shouting that they are going to kill him; the Browns see three or four men beating a man and hear 'this is for the way you treated our sister' (Possum Brown's house)about 1:01:49
  10. January 22nd, 1983, night Possum Brown telephones the sheriff; the men leave before deputies arrive (Possum Brown's house)about 1:03:18
  11. January 22nd, 1983, night Buck is knocked unconscious, put in the boot of the car and driven under a bridge near the Washita River (Bridge over the Washita River)about 1:06:31
  12. January 22nd, 1983, night Buck is shot, cut about the throat and abdomen, chained to a concrete block and put into the river (Bridge over the Washita River)about 1:09:33

Places and phrases

N ↑Public placePublic placePublic placePublic placeTown centre (approximate places)
Static locations; no street basemap. Places and details. OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap.

Places in the story

Public places are marked on the map.

Heard in this episode