Seven people found dead on a convicted sex offender’s property in rural Oklahoma have now been identified, albeit not officially.
Authorities in Henryetta, a town 90 miles east of Oklahoma City, made the gruesome discovery on Monday morning after 39-year-old Jesse McFadden failed to show up in court to stand a jury trial on charges of soliciting sexual conduct with a minor and possession of child pornography.
On Monday evening, authorities said they believe McFadden, 14-year-old Ivy Webster and 15-year-old Brittany Brewer were among the deceased, ahead of official confirmation by a medical examiner.
On Tuesday, a relative of the other four victims revealed their identities. Janette Mayo, 59, told the Associated Press that the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office notified her about the deaths of her daughter, Holly Guess, 35, and her grandchildren, Rylee Elizabeth Allen, 17, Michael James Mayo, 15, and Tiffany Dore Guess, 13.
In a Facebook post, Ms Mayo said that her daughter was married to McFadden. Authorities have not confirmed a cause of death for the seven victims, but Ms Mayo said they were shot at various locations across McFadden’s property.
“My daughter loved her children and yes she married the man who killed them but she was fooled by his charm,” Ms Mayo wrote. “I hurt just like the other families but he took my world from me. My grandchildren and my daughter. I have a hole in my heart ...”
Ms Mayo described Ivy as a “sweet girl,” and said she didn’t have the chance to meet Brittany.
“I really didn’t know Brittany but she must have been a sweet girl for my Tiffany to care for her,” the grieving grandmother wrote. “My prayers are there for both of the other families. I just ask that people remember my family as well, and that they had names too.”
Judy White-Allen, the grandmother of victims Rylee and Michael, also confirmed their deaths to The Independent on Tuesday.
“All I can tell you is my kids are hurting,” she said. “My son lost his daughter and son. My other kids lost their niece and nephew. My other grand kids lost their cousins. Rylee and Michael have four other siblings that will never know them.
“Holly was a great mother. She had a big heart.”
Ms White-Allen added that she doesn’t have “all the details or information” on what happened.
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokesperson Gerald Davidson said his agency will not officially release the identity of the victims until results from the medical examiner’s office are back.
An Amber alert was issued early on Monday after Ivy and Brittany failed to return to their homes on Sunday, as they had planned. The advisory was cancelled on Monday afternoon by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The two teens were last seen at around 1.30am on Monday travelling with McFadden in a white Chevrolet pickup. McFadden, who was convicted of first-degree rape in 2003 and released in October 2020, was on the state’s sex offender registry
In an interview with told KOTV, Brittany’s father Nathan Brewer said she had visited McFadden’s home several times before, and that he was not aware he had been convicted of rape in the past.
“Brittany was an outgoing person. She was actually selected to be Miss Henryetta ... coming up in July for this Miss National Miss pageant in Tulsa. And now she ain’t gonna make it because she’s dead. She’s gone,” Mr Brewer said.
At a Monday night vigil, Mr Brewer told hundreds of people that the circumstances surrounding his daughter’s death “are just a parent’s worst nightmare, and I’m living it.” He said Brittany had aspired to be a teacher or a veterinarian.
Henryetta Public Schools also posted on Facebook and its website that it is grieving over the loss of several of its students.
At this time we are all grieving over the tragedy of the loss of several of our students,” the statement said. “Our hearts are hurting, and we have considered what would be best for our students in the coming days.”
