A 39-year-old woman was discovered dead beneath a heap of clothes in her damaged, abandoned vehicle in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Sunday afternoon, January 28. The police found her body after obtaining a search warrant for her car.
The Tulsa Police Department confirmed the tragic discovery, marking the end of an intense search for Cassidy Ritchie, who had not been since January 20. Family members reported her missing after they hadn’t heard from her in several days.
Ritchie had recently married Chris Morland on January 7. She was officially declared missing and endangered by Tulsa Police on January 25. A significant community effort went into the search for her, with her children and local volunteers joining the effort. The search concluded when Ritchie’s body was located in her car near Highway 412 between Catoosa and Inola, close to the “I Don’t Care Bar and Grill.”
The car displayed signs of having been driven off-road, suggesting a tumultuous journey before it was abandoned.
Chris Morland, Ritchie’s husband, is currently being held as a person of interest in the case. He is in custody on unrelated outstanding warrants from Texas and was first questioned about his wife’s disappearance while in jail on January 25. Morland, with a substantial criminal history including domestic violence and larceny, is being held without bond as a fugitive from justice.
Joey David, Ritchie’s eldest son, acknowledged his mother’s death via social media, conveying the family’s grief and asking for privacy during this challenging time. The family expressed gratitude to all who assisted in the search for Ritchie and asked for continued prayers and support.
The authorities are closely examining the period between January 21 and 23, which aligns with the time Morland returned alone to the couple’s Tulsa home. Reports suggest that the couple’s relationship was fraught with issues, including a previous incident of domestic violence.
Following the discovery of Ritchie’s body, the police have classified the case as a homicide.
The Tulsa Police Department urges anyone with relevant information to contact Tulsa Crime Stoppers.