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Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Autopsies reveal Oklahoma girls were shot multiple times

OKLAHOMA CITY--Skyla Jade Whitaker, 11, and her friend, Taylor Paschal-Placker, 13, were shot June 8 a half-mile north of Taylor's home in the town of Weleetka, 70 miles south of Tulsa.

Autopsy results released Friday on two girls who were gunned down while walking on a country road show one had five gunshot wounds and the other had eight. No arrests have been made.

The state medical examiner's office said the younger girl had eight wounds to the arms, chest, abdomen and neck, and the older girl had five gunshot wounds to the head, groin and hand.

Investigators say two guns were used, leading to the presumption at least two people were involved. The isolated nature of the crime scene has led investigators to theorize local people might have been involved. No motive has been identified.

The autopsies did not indicate any sexual trauma.

Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Jessica Brown said the autopsy results speak to the brutal mindset of the killer.

"It tells the public the brutality, the determination of the killer or killers, by shooting the 11-year-old eight times and Taylor five times," she said.

She said investigators continue to pursue multiple leads and are using all available resources to work the case.

On July 21, the OSBI released the emotional 911 tape in which the grandmother of one of the girls called for help in hopes of pricking someone's conscience and getting a tip that could be useful in solving the murders.

After the killings, investigators released a drawing of a tall man whom witnesses described seeing near the murder scene around the time of the killings, but that man hasn't come forward for questioning.

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