FILE 380 / 16 April 2023 / 66 MIN / express

The Atomic Wedgie Killer

McLoud, OklahomaListen

The town

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

James says they are going to McLoud, Oklahoma, spelled MC L and not MCC L, dead centre of the state. about 0:03:28

History, in brief

Town note

The town was known for manufacturing and selling whisky to white people and to natives in dry Indian territory, where it was not allowed.

about 0:05:43

Town note

The original town was completely destroyed in a flood and rebuilt on higher ground about a mile south.

about 0:06:02

1895

In 1895 a post office arrived and the town was named after a railroad attorney, John William McCloud.

about 0:06:13

Town note

It was originally spelled McCloud, but the spelling was changed because the man's name was McLoud.

about 0:06:42
All 7 history facts

Town note

The town was known for manufacturing and selling whisky to white people and to natives in dry Indian territory, where it was not allowed.

about 0:05:43

Town note

The original town was completely destroyed in a flood and rebuilt on higher ground about a mile south.

about 0:06:02

1895

In 1895 a post office arrived and the town was named after a railroad attorney, John William McCloud.

about 0:06:13

Town note

It was originally spelled McCloud, but the spelling was changed because the man's name was McLoud.

about 0:06:42

Town note

It was an agricultural centre for a long time and is now largely a bedroom community for Oklahoma City.

about 0:06:49

1949

In 1949 it was recognised as the Blackberry Capital of the World after the Chamber of Commerce sent a crate of blackberries to President Harry S. Truman.

about 0:06:55

1963

The Chamber of Commerce's Blackberry Growers Association disbanded in 1963 because of a poor market, and the farmers moved on to other crops.

about 0:10:29

The figures, as told

Money

Median home value$177,400
Median household incomeabout $48,115
All figures and comparisons, as told in 2023

Population

"4,223"

No direction stated.

As told in 2023 about 0:04:14

Median income

"about $48,115"

Comparison: "just below the national average". Direction: below.

As told in 2023 about 0:04:54

Share of people making over $200,000 a year

"zero percent"

No direction stated.

As told in 2023 about 0:05:02

Median home cost

"$177,400"

No direction stated.

As told in 2023 about 0:05:12

American Rescue Plan Act grant funding for the city

"$274,958.81"

No direction stated.

As told in 2023 about 0:11:40

The reviews

3.3 / 5 · average of 4

4 stars

“Good community diminishing as the years go on; public schools getting worse over time, but a great agriculture programme.”
about 0:07:26

4 stars

“A small town where everyone knows everyone, with a great variety of events through the year that bring people from other towns and cities.”
about 0:07:42

4 stars

“Lived here all his life; the local police are very professional and do a great job; it is pretty but creepy at night because of the lack of street lamps; nothing is open late except the Loves/Subway near I-40.”
about 0:08:02

1 star

“The water department is completely corrupt, there are no places to eat at all, fuel is very expensive, but the people are friendly.”
about 0:08:49

In Oklahoma

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The story

McLoud, Oklahoma, lies almost exactly in the centre of the state, about thirty-five minutes from Oklahoma City. It is a rural town of roughly 4,223 people, with a median income of about $48,115 and a median home cost of $177,400. In December 2013 one of its residents was Denver Lee St. Claire, a 58-year-old biker who had been married to Tresia St. Claire for about twenty years and who ran a repair shop.

The marriage had a long history of trouble. In 2001 Tresia said Denver pointed a shock gun at her and told her he was going to kill her. In 2008 she applied for a restraining order after finding him "embraced in a sexual way" with a drinking buddy; she said that when she confronted him he grabbed her by the neck and threw her through a closed bathroom door. She filed for divorce in 2004 and again in 2010. In September 2013 Denver filed for divorce for a third time. The couple were still living together in their trailer.

He lived in a trailer nearby that Tresia and Denver owned.

Tresia was in hospital recovering from hip surgery, so the two men were alone. After a few hours of drinking they argued. While Denver was unconscious, he said, he pulled the waistband of his underwear up over his head, an atomic wedgie, and took a photograph of it with his phone. At 10:11 p.m. he called 911.

Deputies arrived to find blood spatter in the kitchen, in the living room and on the living room ceiling, and Denver dead on the floor with the waistband of his underwear around his neck. The cause of death was asphyxiation and blunt force trauma. The county sheriff, Mike Booth, said he had never seen anything like it, and detective Jimmy Brewer said other investigators had not either.

They found text messages he had sent a friend before going over in which he said he was going to mess Denver up and had nothing to lose.

Denver's family put up a memorial Facebook page, and his niece, Tania Renee Lester Dawson, thanked the bikers who rode in his honour. The family also objected publicly to the atomic wedgie being blamed for his death, saying he died of blunt force trauma, and complained that the authorities had not told them about the wedgie until it was in the news.

The case

Murder of Denver Lee St. Claire

Victims

Denver Lee St. Claire (58). Biker and Harley enthusiast, married to Tresia St. Claire for about twenty years, ran a repair shop

Accused and outcomes

As told in the episode, on 16 April 2023.

Accused

Outcome

Other people

Tresia St. Claire. Denver's wife of about twenty years and mother; in hospital recovering from hip surgery on the night of the killing
Mike Booth. county sheriff
Jimmy Brewer. police detective
Tania Renee Lester Dawson. Denver's niece, who thanked the bikers who rode in his honour
Denver's daughter. said he was a one-of-a-kind man who would be missed dearly

The timeline

  1. 2001 Tresia St. Claire says Denver pointed a shock gun at her and told her he was going to kill her. (Denver and Tresia St. Claire's trailer)about 0:15:16
  2. 2004 Tresia files for divorce for the first time.about 0:17:09
  3. 2008 Tresia applies for a restraining order after finding Denver embraced in a sexual way with a drinking buddy.about 0:15:28
  4. 2008 Denver grabs Tresia by the neck and throws her through a closed bathroom door. (Denver and Tresia St. Claire's trailer)about 0:16:16
  5. 2010 Tresia files for divorce for the second time.about 0:17:09
  6. August 2013 A fire destroys Denver's repair shop. (Denver's repair shop)about 0:26:01
  7. September 2013 Denver files for divorce for the third time.about 0:16:42
  8. December 20, 2013 tells his brother that Denver said he would pull out of the trailer by his throat. ( 's trailer)about 0:21:21
  9. December 21, 2013 is invited to Denver and Tresia's trailer for drinks; Tresia is in hospital recovering from hip surgery. (Denver and Tresia St. Claire's trailer)about 0:22:54
  10. December 21, 2013 After a few hours of drinking, Denver bad-mouths Tresia and the two men argue and fight. (Denver and Tresia St. Claire's trailer)about 0:24:58
  11. December 21, 2013 says he punched Denver and knocked him unconscious. (Denver and Tresia St. Claire's trailer)about 0:28:52
  12. December 21, 2013 says he pulled Denver's underwear over his head in an atomic wedgie and took a photograph of him. (Denver and Tresia St. Claire's trailer)about 0:30:59
  13. December 21, 2013, 10:11 p.m. calls 911. (Denver and Tresia St. Claire's trailer)about 0:29:02
  14. December 21, 2013 Deputies arrive, find blood spatter in the kitchen, living room and on the ceiling, and Denver dead with the waistband of his underwear around his neck. (Denver and Tresia St. Claire's trailer)about 0:29:26

Places and phrases

N ↑Town 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