April 30, 2019 Issue, Page 1 of 12

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it 4 See Big Elk sports page 10 Serving Western Oklahoma MID-WEEK Since 1901 EDITION Suspect extradited By Don Munsch Editor A person of interest in two homicide cases in the area on April 21 has been arrested in connection to the slayings in that case, accord- ing to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. Gregory Killough, 49, was arrested last week and extradited to Elk City to face Elk City Fire Department employees charges stemming from two shoot water from a rig last week at Ackley Killough. Photo by Tulsa Beckham County homicides. Park. Crews did an annual checkup of the County Jail Killough became a person pumps. Staff photo by Don Munsch. of interest in the homicides of 46-year-old Monique Smith in Elk City and 67-year-old Norman Burden in Sayre after investigators discovered he had been seen with Smith within an hour of her death. Killough was arrested on charges of two counts of first Fire department annual degree murder, two counts of larceny of an auto, one count of animal cruelty and one count of felon in possession ofa firearm. He was booked into the Elk City Jail, according to OSBI. capacity test at park ‘Smith’s body was found in a parking lot in the 400 block of North State in Elk City in the early morning hours of April 21. Her vehicle was missing. Around 6:30 p.m., Smith’s car was seen in front of a residence in the 100 block of North Sadler in Sayre. When officers entered the home, they found By Don Munsch rate of capacity and they're Department Assistant Chief Written records are kept on Burden’s body. They also discovered his pickup truck was Editor required to be tested on an Billy Sizemore. each truck. Roberts travels missing. Burden’s dog had been shot but survived. annual basis to make sure As the Elk City fire truck the state and oversees the Investigators were able to link the two cases and put out a Elk City Fire Department that they'll still hit that ca- shot water into the pond, testing, and Elk City has statewide “be on the lookout” for the missing truck. Just af- firefighters got pumped up pacity,” Robert said on April Roberts said it could shoot been a customer of his for ter midnight on April 22, Tulsa police officers pulled over a about a certain annual job 24, the day of the testing. out 1,250 gallons of water per more than 30 years. truck matching the description, despite the license plate not last week. Elk City had four rigs to minute. “This has to do with the matching. Killough was behind the wheel and officers also Firefighters checked the test, and the testing on each “Right now, it’s actually ISO rating for each com- found a handgun inside the vehicle. Tulsa police officers viability of the pumps in truck took about 45 minutes pumping about 1,350, so it’s munity, and pump tests are took Killough into custody. their fire trucks by releasing to an hour. No water was coming in above where it worth a lot of points on an Killough was arrested by the OSBI and the Elk City Po- water into a pond at Ackley taken out of the fire truck’s needs to be,” he said. “So it’s ISO evaluation,” Roberts lice Department on April 24 and brought back to Beckham Park. Greg Roberts oversaw tank; firefighters suctioned doing good.” said. “Elk City has always County to face charges. the review. He is retired water out of the pond and Roberts checks the pres- been really, really good from the Norman Fire De- then stuck it right back in. sure gauge to determine about keeping up partment. No pond water was put into whether he has the required “Every one of them has a trucks, said Elk City Fire amount of water flowing. See Compacity test page 2. Merritt Valedictorians Elk City welcomes Spieker as new commissioner place to stay instead of hav- and alot of towns can’t say west Farm Supply Inc., the ing to move offto Oklahoma that,” he said. John Deere dealership in Elk City or Tulsa to find a job.” He said Elk City has been City, with his family after Spieker is especially ex- the place to live in this area. college and stayed there cited about the Community “Just drive around,” he for 14 years. The business Action Project Plans, and said. downsized to a parts store Ben Mills, left, and Carson Rutherford finish as co- wants to see the community Spieker has lived here valedictorians of the class of 2019 at Merritt High thrive. The CAPPs program most of his life. He was born ran by his parents Jim and School. Mills will attend the University of Oklahoma seeks to add quality-of-life here at the Elk City Com- Carol. Then Spieker went to and Rutherford will go toOklahoma State University. projects in the city, includ- munity Hospital and went to work in the oilfield and now ‘Staff photo by Don Munsch. ing an indoor activity center, high school here, graduating works for EnerVest Operat- among other additions. in 1988, before moving on to ing, where he now works as a Editor's note: First in a series of profiles on area high “Thad decided to run Oklahoma State University, lease operator. school valedictorians and salutatorians. before that,” Spieker said, where he earned his degree Elk City has three ad- referring to CAPPs. “I'm in animal science. He and By Don Munsch very excited about that. I'm his wife moved to Idabel for equate services it takes takes Editor By Don Munsch excited abouthaving anew _ five years, from 1999-2004, to be a successful town: wa- Editor mayor. We've got some new where his wife has family. _ ter supply, sewer system and Ben Mills follows in his folks’ footsteps for the career blood on the council and we “I went to college andhad _solid waste disposal, Spieker to pursue one day. field he wants Cory Spieker said he wants have some experienced guys _nointentions of ever coming _said. Carson Rutherford also has settled on a career path. — Elk City tobe aplace where on the council.” back here,” he said. “Qur people before us The two Merritt High School seniors are the co-valedic- children will not be eager to Spieker spread his praise But when he found out the ave set that up, and so we torians of the classof 2019. . leave, that it will be aplace _toothersinthe city, but said “worldwas about thesame need to just continue that,” and said Mills will attend the University of Oklahoma that they will want to stay. there’s always room to grow —_ everywhere,” he realized he said. “And that’s kind of the fields of biomedical engineering and medicine interest Heisnow inapositionto and that that willcome with —_Elk City was a pretty unique ee him. help shape the community as _ time. town. why I decided to run. I want “[’d like to be a doctor of medicine in probably in some- he was sworn in asthe Ward “We've got a tremendous “We have a lot of great to be, at the end of my time thingin surgery or radiology,” he said. 1 Elk City Commissioner downtown,” Spieker said. people, we have agoodtrade on Earth, for my children or His father, Duane, used to work as a technician at a radi- inearly April. He replaced “A downtown tobe proud of. _area,” he said. “I'm not a grandchildren, I want them ology department at Great Plains Regional Medical Center. Allen Robinson, who did not ‘It’s goingto geteven better _big town guy -you know, to have a place to live. If we Ben said he would visit him and he would see machines he seek reelection. with all of the improvements Oklahoma City or that. And don’t step up and actively worked with, which left an impression, ; “Zjust hope to continue they're going to do down alot of my friends that I take part in our town, then “He worked there for a while and I just kind of fell in the tradition of where we've __ through there.” graduated with from college, wwe don’t have room togripe.” | love with the machines and everything that goes on up been, basically,” saidSpiek- __Spieker also expressed they were going to work in pare: ‘sas there and the way things are acted out and how it helps er, 49. “I wanto see Elk excitement about busi- the feed lots or going to work Dieses IE METS 10. people, especially people in need,” he said. City grow. Atthe endofthe ness growthhere, as for62 —_hereorthere. Elk City wasa Christie and has four daugh- Ben’s mother, Julie, is lab technician at a doctor’s office day, it’s all about making our _ months straight, 62 new busi- better town than any ofthem _ ters: Catelynn, 24; Chelsea, in Elk City. Ben just discovered he liked what the medical town better, keeping our kids nesses have opened. were going to.” 20; Clancie, 15; and Cassidy, here, giving our kids some “That’s pretty awesome, Spieker worked forMid- 13. See Merritt page 2. Weather 52 Volit7, No.35 Homedelivery _Viewontline « sore las ANI]. AIL 4 34 » tomorrow 75 cents, 10 pgs. 580.225.3000 ecdailynewsonline.com