The Girl Scout Camp Murders

[Taun]

While searching to find a Time of Death(s) I came across this website which has actually managed to lay everything out in a way that the data almost makes sense (much better than others have I must say...) Still no official TOD...

I bolded a part I particularly agreed with...

misspellings are not mine - this time...

http://www.athenaresearchgroup.org/girlscoutmurders.htm

Girl Scout Murders

The story of the Girl Scout Murders sounds like the plot of a bad B movie. Three young girls are rapped and murdered while away at summer camp, the counselors slept through the whole assault. The police are confused about how and why the crime occurred in the first place. The prime suspect is known to police because of his previous history of sexual violence.

Instead of being a horror movie, the Girl Scout Murders was an actual crime that occurred in Oklahoma in 1977. The victims were all young girls; the prime suspect may or may not have actually committed the crime because he was eventually acquitted of any wrong doing in this case, the case remains officially unsolved.

Athena Reserch Group focuses primarily on “ritualistic” or “occult” type crimes. While there does not appear to be any ritual type elements contained in this case, the background of the case and elements involved give it a weird factor of 10.

Orion Research would like to conduct a thorough investigation of this crime. If anyone has any information about this crime, please contact. Email ej@athenaresearch.org

Case Outline Date:

June 12, 1977

Location: Girl Scout Camp Scott. Kiown Section located at the western most end of the 410-acre property.

This location may have been chosen because of its remoteness.

The closest tent to the crime scene was 75 feet away; the nearest consoler tent was 100 yards away.

The Victims:

Michele Heather Guse Age 9

Doris Denise Milner Age 10

Lori Lee Farmer Age 8

Events Leading Up to the Crime

a man's effigy was found hanging from a tree by its neck; personal items were disappearing from tents.

The most interesting event was the discovery of a note in April; it read "we are on a mission to kill 3 girls in tent 1". The note was considered a prank and never given to police.

The crime

a storm had hit and area around 6pm causing heavy rain. Because of the weather the campers were sent back to their tents.

Approximately 1:30AM moaning was heard near Kiowa. Carla a camp consoler checked out the noise and described it as a low guttural moaning. It would stop whenever the beam of her flashlight came near.

Carla was standing at the intersection of the trail, 150 yards from tent 8 and a dirt road leading to the main camp.

Approximately 2AM the tent flap of #7 was opened. Three of the girls inside were sleeping. The fourth girl stated that she noticed a beam of light moving about the interior from outside, with the silhouette of a large figure behind it. The figure moved off toward tent # 8.

Moaning sounds were heard throughout the night. Not just by those in the Kiowa section but in four other units of the camp.

Approximately 3AM a girl in the Cherokee section across the woods heard a scream come from the direction of Kiowa about two city blocks away. A girl in Quapaw also heard a scream. The scream seemed to be momma. Momma.

The girl thought it may have been the voice of Lori Farmer

approximately 6AM Carla found sleeping bags under a tree near the intersection in a pile.

The Bodies

Doris Milner was found nude from the waist down; her PJ top was pulled up underneath her arms. Her hands had been tied behind her back with duct tape and she had been beaten about the face.

Around her neck a cord and an elastic bandage were visible. A round cylinder shaped object about four inches long made of terrycloth was attached to the cord. The elastic bandage had been used as a blindfold, the terrycloth object as a gag.

Michele Heather Guse and Lori Farmer were found inside their sleeping bags. Both bodies had been bound into a tight compact fetal like position.

Evidence

Guse and Farmer's sleeping bags contained bloody bed sheets that had been used by the killer to wipe down the blood found on the wood floor of the tent.

Also found a roll of black duct tape and a flashlight the murder had discarded.

Jack Shroff was the owner of a farm two miles west of Camp Scott; his house had been broken into some of the items taken were a sash cord, a roll of duct tape, three bottles of beer and three identical crowbars. The beer bottles were later found empty on the campgrounds.

Outside shroff's door a jungle boot style print was found. It matched other boot prints found near the crime scene.

An other print had been found on the blood soaked floor of tent 8

Boot Print Size 10

Shoe Print (possible tennis shoe) size 7

Cause of Death:

Guse and Farmer were killed inside the tent. Struck by a heavy blunt object in the back of their heads while they slept.

Milner may have been led out of the tent, raped then killed. When found her face had been beaten with such force that the object left behind an impression. She had died on the trial. Her cause of death was blunt force trauma not strangulation.

At autopsy it was revealed that two different types of knots had reportedly been used, head wounds on two of the victims indicated two different blunt instruments.

Analysis:

Physical evidence left behind at the crime scene and evidence recovered during autopsy indicates that two offenders were involved in the crime.

The nature of the crime scene, a mixed scene, all of the equipment necessary to commit the crime was brought along, yet no steps were taken to conceal the crime after it was committed also indicates that two offenders were involved.

This crime is one that would have been planned months, possibly years in advance. The killers were good friends, this isn't the kind of thing that you talk about or consider doing with someone you just met. Because of the remoteness of the crime scene, the offenders knew the area well; they were either avid hunters or lived or worked in the area.

The offenders would have left the area immediately after the crime.

One of both of the offender's would have a history of sexual assault, possibly involving children.

This may not have been the first murder for one of both of the offenders.

This level of violence indicates that, these offenders were not new to murder; they had been involved in some type of violent crime previous to this one.

The Suspect

Gene Leroy Hart was a Cherokee Indian and high school football hero from Locust Grove. In June of 1966 Hart kidnapped two women outside a Tulsa nightclub and left them to die. They were able to escape and notified police.

Hart was sentenced in October 1966 and paroled in March 1969, was arrested again after being caught burglarizing homes. Hart was able to escape custody in 1973.

He was tried for the camp Scott murders and found not guilty on March 30, 1979, however he was sent back to prison to sever out his 308-year sentence for his previous crimes.

Heart later died in prison.

[Taun]

Another site:

http://claremoreprogress.com/local/x1753174149/DNA-testing-legacy-of-unsolved-Girl-Scout-murders?keyword=topstory

Has these bits of additional info:

"In 1990 (Gene) Haynes was elected to office as the District Attorney serving Rogers, Mayes, and Craig Counties.

“I was warned calls would come in,” said Haynes. “I was told I should get acquainted with the case.”

Haynes read boxes of information on the case prior to taking office in January 1991. There were Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation reports, a transcript from the preliminary hearing and photographs.

There were no trial transcripts because Gene Leroy Hart, the suspect tried for the crime, was acquitted.

Haynes said in the case of a conviction a transcript is made because there could be an appeal. In an acquittal, though notes are taken, no transcript exists."

So - no trial transcript....

[Regi]

The book mentions that no semen was discovered on the girls but that Hart's did not match the semen specimens taken from the bodies...

The whole book is like that - contradictory statements often within the same sentence.... I think what he may have meant was that no semen was found IN the girls, but on them...

Oh, what the heck?! I see why you're frustrated..it's not so much to do with the case as it is with that book! (I hope you don't allow you're disappointment with the author to influence your opinions of the facts. Of course, what's most important are the sources of the info. which leads me to your next post. Again, I'd have to know where they got their info. for that analysis of the case.

From some of what I've read and from some of what was stated in the doc, it seems that the original ME who examined the bodies said he didn't find semen, but later, a fertility doctor said he identified sperm. Janice Davis testified she found "decomposed" sperm on a vaginal smear. Anneeeway...

This issue warrants a third opinion. The specimens are preserved on glass slides, and to my knowledge, those don't deteriorate.

I read one report that the girls were "sexually abused, but not raped". Now, that would tell me that, despite a sexual component to the crime, there was no semen and NO INJURIES ASSOCIATED with rape.

(I keep in mind that the ME who examined the bodies did so with the knowledge of the trauma to the body of a rape victim...and these victims were children, and the suspect was an adult.)

[Regi]

Re: that case analysis and what they refer to as the "weird factor", I'm not sure what they mean by that.

(It's a triple homicide which occurred at scout camp and while that's certainly out of the ordinary, we don't have to be told that. )

From an investigative standpoint, since the camp was (naturally) out in the open- even if the gate was locked- anyone on foot could have had/gained access.

It was a remote, expansive area with lots of "cover", so I think it was an especially vulnerable location.

What stands out to me as "weird" is that the bodies were moved, and an odd assortment of items were missing from at least two different locations within the camp.

Another point is that these murders occurred on the first night of camp...the very first night- the most hectic of all camp nights which surely only added to the vulnerability of the camp.

[Taun]

Re: that case analysis and what they refer to as the "weird factor", I'm not sure what they mean by that.

(It's a triple homicide which occurred at scout camp and while that's certainly out of the ordinary, we don't have to be told that. )

From an investigative standpoint, since the camp was (naturally) out in the open- even if the gate was locked- anyone on foot could have had/gained access.

It was a remote, expansive area with lots of "cover", so I think it was an especially vulnerable location.

What stands out to me as "weird" is that the bodies were moved, and an odd assortment of items were missing from at least two different locations within the camp.

Another point is that these murders occurred on the first night of camp...the very first night- the most hectic of all camp nights which surely only added to the vulnerability of the camp.

I think they were referring to the shamanistic aspects... The two medicine men, the supposed curses on the dogs and on Hart... The odd behaviour of the counselors, People thinking Hart was a Skinwalker/shapechanger, etc...

[Regi]

Another site:

http://claremoreprog...eyword=topstory

Has these bits of additional info:

"In 1990 (Gene) Haynes was elected to office as the District Attorney serving Rogers, Mayes, and Craig Counties.

“I was warned calls would come in,” said Haynes. “I was told I should get acquainted with the case.”

Haynes read boxes of information on the case prior to taking office in January 1991. There were Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation reports, a transcript from the preliminary hearing and photographs.

There were no trial transcripts because Gene Leroy Hart, the suspect tried for the crime, was acquitted.

Haynes said in the case of a conviction a transcript is made because there could be an appeal. In an acquittal, though notes are taken, no transcript exists."

So - no trial transcript....

Thanks for this info.

For those who don't know, of course, all trial proceedings are recorded (referred to by Haynes as "notes") so what this means is that a record of the trial exists, it's just not been transcribed.

Well, the entire pretrial transcript would be enlightening...

Edited October 5, 2012 by regi

[Regi]

I think they were referring to the shamanistic aspects... The two medicine men, the supposed curses on the dogs and on Hart... The odd behaviour of the counselors, People thinking Hart was a Skinwalker/shapechanger, etc...

Oh, okay. Yeah... that stuff.

Well, let's look at that. All of that you mentioned (except that re: the counselors) was introduced later by the investigators...it was their perceptions and conclusions.

What investigators did with that was they used it as "logical" explanations (excuses in some instances, in my opinion) for why certain things occurred, or didn't occur during the course of the investigation, and since Hart was Indian, they used it against him...him specifically.

Surely, Hart wasn't the only Indian in the territory, and they apparently hadn't known where he'd been, or when he'd been where. I also don't think he was the only one who had access to, or could have used any of those caves.

Those photos- found near one cave that they said was three miles south, southwest of Camp Scott, were the only piece of evidence linked specifically to Hart, and it's unfortunate that we have no explanation for how the heck Hart could have had possession of them.

The other evidence linking Hart specifically to the crime scene was the mirror and pipe, and those items weren't recovered until a second search which took place AFTER some of the pretrial testimony (pt. 4 doc. @ 12:18), which to a lot of people, was a highly questionable circumstance.

We also have completely conflicting evidence re: analysis of specimens collected.

I don't know if it was taken out of context, but if the ME ever stated that he didn't find semen "on" the bodies, then to me that suggests that he also hadn't found it elsewhere, and (considering that language) that he likely didn't find other evidence of rape.

[Regi]

I found excerpts from the book Tent Number 8 on a google books site, and if it's accurate info, it helps to somewhat clarify a couple of things.

1) Page 69 "Hart was captured on April 6, 1978 at 4:15pm at a three room cabin in Cookson Hills, south of Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The cabin was owned by a local Indian man, Sam Pigeon. Sam Pigeon was later charged with the crime of harboring a fugitive. William Smith, another Cherokee Indian, was also charged. Their charges were eventually dropped after Hart's acquittal."

Well, I don't understand why the charges would be dropped...

2) Re: the first attorney, something-Oliver (sorry), according to the book, page 83, he withdrew from the case not because he thought Hart was guilty, but because he learned he'd be replaced.

The book says that Oliver later spoke about Hart and that he said he did think he could have done it. He spoke of the negative vibes he said he'd had about Hart.

What struck me as very strange was that Oliver made mention of Hart's drinking...that Hart didn't drink any more than he did, but that it affected Hart differently.

The book said Oliver wouldn't elaborate further.

On page 102 was mention of the preliminary hearing and the camp officials testimony. It reminded me of something that had occurred to me earlier and that's Wilhite's testimony about hearing a noise outside a few nights earlier.

She said the dog was outside and growling.

So, where was the dog on the night of the murders?

Edited October 21, 2012 by regi

[Taun]

Good question about the dog... I've not heard any other mention of it - so perhaps the dog was there before the girls got there - when I would suppose staff were preparing for the up coming arrival of the girls from Tulsa, but then perhaps the dog was taken away before the kids arrived... My only reasonable theory about this....

[Regi]

Maybe that's reasonable, but I think it's doubtful because she was described as the camp dog. Her name was Sally.

Pretrial testimony, page 143

Q Who does Sally belong to?

A The camp.

Q What did Sally do when she came running across the yard?

A She started barking and growling.

Q Did you ever see what she was barking or growling at?

A No.

Q Did you hear anything else?

A Not after that. I just grabbed my blanket while she was starting to chase whatever it was and I ran across and got Dee Elder because I knew she was in the Quapaw unit and I got her and a few other people up and they came in and sat with me until I fell asleep and then Jody Davis came in the house the rest of the night.

[Taun]

I just did a word search for "Sally" and "dog" in the book Tent Number Eight and the name Sally isn't in it and 'dog' only links to the search dogs... I'm going to have to add this to my (growing) list of things to investigate...

I would really love to take a few days and actually sit down and talk with who ever is currently 'handling' this case... But with my work schedule (It's Sunday and I'm just about to go back in to work - double overtime) that's probably not going to happen...

edit: Crap I can't even keep track of what day of the week it is... Todays Monday (doesn't change my work schedule though, thank goodness or I'd be several hours late!!!!)....

Edited October 22, 2012 by Taun

[Regi]

I would really love to take a few days and actually sit down and talk with who ever is currently 'handling' this case...

I started to say that that makes two of us, but after thinking about it, I don't think I would. Actually, I can't think of anyone involved that I'd really want to speak with.

I'd much rather spend time at the Mayes County Courthouse with the transcripts from the pretrial and the closing arguments, and the transcript from the '71 case against Hart.

I don't think anything else I'd like to see would be available.

Sources other than that that the author of that book used were newspaper articles- and possibly other publications- and of those, I know of a couple of articles I'd like to see from the Daily Times and The Paper that I imagine would be in the library archives in Tulsa, or maybe in Pryor.? Both papers are out of Pryor....

I was thinking more about the Sally situation and I remembered that it had rained late afternoon/eve and so maybe she was put up in a shelter. Of course, it could have been protocol that Sally be contained anytime that camp was in session, but I'm left to wonder since she was free to roam before.

Taun...it's now Wednesday...hehehe

[Regi]

I just thought of two other incidents I'd like to know a lot more about...the burglary at the farmhouse, and the burglary at that grocery store (I think it was called Sam's Corner)- which was reported to have occurred shortly after the murders.

From what I understand, the crime reports should be available to the public- at least the initial police reports should be.

[Regi]

It occurred to me that all of the items reported missing from the camp were missing from the tents of counselors.

Now, that's strange, isn't it?

I'm also finding it strange that the two purses- and I assume any contents of those- were never recovered.

(I've realized that the civil trial transcript would also contain valuable info., so I'll add it to my list of must-see documents.)

[Taun]

It occurred to me that all of the items reported missing from the camp were missing from the tents of counselors.

Now, that's strange, isn't it?

I'm also finding it strange that the two purses- and I assume any contents of those- were never recovered.

(I've realized that the civil trial transcript would also contain valuable info., so I'll add it to my list of must-see documents.)

I'm not sure but I think most if not all of the stolen items were taken before the kids arrived... If so then the items had to have been taken from the conselors... I STILL haven't found a concise time line (multi-day) to account for all the weird stuff that happened in this case... So really - I'm not sure about virtually ANY times that I've heard... I've never read of an exact time of death - just "The night of ..."... The times 2:30, 3:00 and 3:30 am keep getting mentioned but what tme did the coroner put on the actual crimes?...

[Regi]

I think you're mistaken, Taun. I don't think anything was missing before the night of the murders, and everything reported missing was recovered with the exception of the purses.

Now, it seems Wilhite testified at the prelim. hearing that an axe was missing from wherever it was supposed to be, and I don't know if the axe was still considered missing, but it doesn't seem to be linked to the crime.

Quapaw counselor Kathy Elder Wise reported her purse missing.

Choctaw counselor Karen Mitchell was who the mirror and pipe belonged to.

Kiowa counselor Wilhite reported glasses w/ glass case, and kapo.

Wilhite's co-counselor reported sunglasses and purse.

While we're on the subject, there was mention in the doc. of a pair of lace panties found in cave #1, and I don't know the origin of those. To my knowledge, they weren't reported missing, or identified later...

Re: weird stuff happening, I came across an article dated 6-27-78 from The Oklahoman which reported on the prelim hearing and reported that counselor Celia Stall stated that she and other counselors were awakened after midnight and found a small child that had been sleep walking. Stall testified "She couldn't remember screaming at all." I think this can account for other statements from campers that they heard a child cry out.

(I must have come across this on the girlscoutmurders.com website.)

Edited October 29, 2012 by regi

[MATTHEWAK47]

I'm not sure but I think most if not all of the stolen items were taken before the kids arrived... If so then the items had to have been taken from the conselors... I STILL haven't found a concise time line (multi-day) to account for all the weird stuff that happened in this case... So really - I'm not sure about virtually ANY times that I've heard... I've never read of an exact time of death - just "The night of ..."... The times 2:30, 3:00 and 3:30 am keep getting mentioned but what tme did the coroner put on the actual crimes?...

I have been all over this place up and down snake and spring creeks and have found cave #1!

If there is any one that would like to go out there but not to camp scoot at this time I would love to talk to you.

I have some good info about the lay out and the land around there from just going down the creeks on the weekends off from work.

My email is Matthewak4716@gmail.com

[Taun]

I have been all over this place up and down snake and spring creeks and have found cave #1!

If there is any one that would like to go out there but not to camp scoot at this time I would love to talk to you.

I have some good info about the lay out and the land around there from just going down the creeks on the weekends off from work.

My email is Matthewak4716@gmail.com

I'd be interested.. It's only 2 hours from my home... I understand that Camp Scot is private land now and they do not grant access, but looking at the cave and seeing how close (or not) it is to the crime scene would be interesting... I'll contact you as soon as I find out what my weekend work schedule looks like...

[Regi]

This case is gonna drive me to drinkin'.

Wilhite didn't testify about an axe in the prelim. hearing...I checked. I read through the entire prelim testimony of Wilhite and Elder.

That came from that site girlscoutmurders.yuku.

A poster came on the board and claimed to be Wilhite. Some members were skeptical, but some were confident that the poster was indeed Wilhite. Me? I'm not so sure for a couple of reasons, but this poster was asked about a hachet, and the response was that yes, a hachet wasn't in the inventory of the unit kitchen performed during precamp.

At one time, the poster was asked two questions- one about Sally, the camp dog, but only the first question was answered.

The poster said that investigators believed a woman could have committed the murders because "they found no semen and the disturbing fact that some objects had been used to sexually penetrate them."

This info can be found by going to that yuku site on the case and typing Carla Wilhite in the search bar. Many threads will come up, but the threads contain info. I haven't heard before and articles I've never seen.

The specific thread is on page 2, at the top of the page.

An article from The Pryor Jefferson archive, dated 6-23-77, spoke about the burglary on property owned by Jack Shroff's....that Shroff was from Tulsa, and the burglary was reported "last Monday."

According to the article "Shroff also reported a crowbar was taken" and that "Authorities found a crowbar at Camp Scott but declined to say whether it was the death weapon."

It went on to say "He said Saturday that his house was burglarized again on Thursday or Friday, but nothing but a roll of toliet paper was taken. Shroff said his house has been burglarized eight times since 1969."

Going through the prelim trans. y e t a g a i n wasn't a complete waste of time. I couldn't see straight afterwards, but I was surprised that a few things caught my attention that I had either overlooked, or didn't put much thought into before.

One thing was that Wilhite woke up by her alarm clock, put on her glasses and got out of bed.

Is it interesting that that particular pair of glasses weren't taken? I don't know what to make of it, but I do think it's odd.

[MATTHEWAK47]

I'd be interested.. It's only 2 hours from my home... I understand that Camp Scot is private land now and they do not grant access, but looking at the cave and seeing how close (or not) it is to the crime scene would be interesting... I'll contact you as soon as I find out what my weekend work schedule looks like...

I live in Tulsa so I am there when I can be,let me know when you would like to go. The only thing at this time is that we can't walk in the creek because of the cold in the summer time I go and will camp out on the creek just to get a feel for the land, I have to say it's a little scary at night out there but thats what makes it all the better.

[Regi]

I have some good info about the lay out and the land around there from just going down the creeks on the weekends off from work.

Info. about the lay out and the land...why can't you post it?

[MATTHEWAK47]

Info. about the lay out and the land...why can't you post it?

I have some pics but the site will not let me post them because their to big it says so I am working on it now .

Edited October 30, 2012 by MATTHEWAK47

[Taun]

A few tidbits from the appendix of that book "Tent Number 8" - which I am slowly finishing... This deals with "Where are they now..." type info...

Ella Maye Buckskin - Gene Hart's mother - Died May 31, 1993

Garvin Isaacs - One of Hart's attorneys - went on to become a very successful attorney in the state (still living I guess)

SM "Buddy" Fallis - Prosecuting attorney - joined civil law firm - later inducted into American College of Trail Lawyers (only accepts top 1% of lawyers)...

Sheriff Pete Weaver - Lost re-election in 1980 - died in 1991

Cathy Bennett - defense aide, specialist in picking jurys - died in 1992... She is the only non-lawyer to receive the "Lifetime Achievement Award" from the National Association of Criminal Defense lawyers...

Richard Guise - Father of Michele (vicitim) - First chairman of the Oklahoma Vicitms Compensation Board - still living

Walter Milner - Father of Denise (Victim) - Died at the age of 53 - following 31 years as a Tulsa Police Officer. - Buried next to his daughter...

Not a word about the conselors, or other parents except to quote Bettye Milner saying that she could never bring herself to visit her daughters grave...

Edited October 30, 2012 by Taun

[Regi]

Re: "where are they now", a strange thing I came across recently had to do with Victor Auxlier- who reportedly saw Hart in cave #2 about a week after the murders, and whose pond it was where a vienna sausage can was found which was linked to the store burglary. (I guess it was linked it to the burg....was that the connection, or just that it came from the store...hell, I don't know.

Anyway, this info came from the findagrave website. Auxlier shares a monument with his sister and brother in Hogen Cemetery In Locust Grove.

What's strange is that his brother died Dec. 27, 1983...his sister died Jan.19, 1984, and then he died Feb. 24, 1984.

[Taun]

Hmmm... Looks like a tough winter for that family!