The State of Oklahoma Holds Justice Hostage for Sheila Deviney

On Wednesday, the unsolved homicide case of Sheila Deviney, murdered on January 6, 2004, was featured on The Roth Show.  Joining us for the hour were Sheila's parents, Susan and David Deviney.  Running for election in 2010, then candidate and now Garvin County Sheriff, Larry Rhodes, promised to open up the investigation if, and when ,he was elected into office.  Sheriff Rhodes campaign platform was the combined cases of the "Garvin County Three", which included Sheila Deviney.

In September the State of Oklahoma plans on destroying the only tangible evidence, tissue samples that tell the story.  How is it possible to destroy evidence from an unsolved homicide?  The pictures below were taken after the fire in which Sheila Deviney died.  They tell the truth along with other important information. There is no doubt, this case is an intimate partner homicide.

Please take time to download and listen to the podcast of the show.
http://www.therothshow.com/demos/recent/hour2Mar2112.mp3

At some point in the near future there is a possibility I will be returning to Garvin County as I did in the fall of 2010.  Hopefully, OSBI, The Attorney's General's Office and others in the state will provide assistance for the Deviney family.  All the family wants is justice.  Is that to much to ask?

Below are the photo's from the crime scene

Susan Murphy Milano is a staff member of the Institute for Relational Harm Reduction and Public Pathology Education as a educator and specialist with intimate partner violence prevention strategies directing prevention for high risk situations and cases.

 A national trainer to law enforcement, training officers, prosecutors, judges, legislators, social service providers, healthcare professionals, victim advocates and the faith based community and author.. In partnership with Management Resources Ltd. of New York addressing prevention and solutions within the community to the workplace. Host of The Susan Murphy Milano Show,"Time'sUp!" . She is a regular contributor to the nationally syndicated "The Roth Show" with Dr Laurie Roth and a co-host onCrime Wire. Online contributions: Forbes : Crime, She Writes providing commentary about the hottest topics on crime, justice, and law from a woman’s perspective, as well as Time's Up! a blog which searches for solutions (SOS) for victims of crime.  

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Oklahoma's New Law: Finally, Justice For The Dead

Its been just over a year since I was in Pauls Valley Oklahoma with the families of the Justice For The Dead site. A group whom came together for one sole purpose, to reform the Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office headed up by attorney Jaye Mendros.

This past week the Chanda Turner Reform Act went into law. Families will now have the opportunity to appeal their loved ones' death certificates. Numerous cases across the State in which the Medical Examiners Office rubber stamped death certificates as suicides, many without autopsies or proper testing. Some of their actions were political corrupt. Contaminated and even manufactured crime scene's appeared in the majority of the cases.

One of many disturbing, still unsolved cases to benefit from the new law is the intimate partner homicide of Sheila Deviney 30, who died on January 6, 2004, when her mobile home, located about one mile east and one mile south of Maysville, Oklahoma, burned to the ground. She was murdered. It should be no surprise that Sheila had been married to an abusive, controlling man. They had a court date over past-due child support scheduled the next day. According to eye witnesses, her ex-husband was at the home, although by law not allowed on the premises. He and others according to recorded, notarized and sworn affidavit statements I have in a secure location from eye witnesses attest to certain individuals leaving Sheila's property as flames jumped into the sky. Witnesses say those person's allegedly destroyed evidence and took items from the home.

Since the murder of Sheila, her parents Dave and Susan Deviney have worked along side the other families seeking justice. Sheila's case has more twists and turns than a tornado.

Tissues sample's from the fire need to remain in tact and not destroyed as threatened by the Medical Examiners office within the next few months. This is the only tangible evidence. Law enforcement allowed a suspect to destroy physical evidence within days of the massive fire that took Sheila's life.

Is it a coincidence that the spokesperson for the Medical Examiner's office, Cherokee Ballard resigned on the very day this law went into affect?

To read more on the amazing justice for families read: New Law: Cowboys, Indians and the Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office.

Susan Murphy Milano is a staff member of the Institute for Relational Harm Reduction and Public Pathology Education as a educator and specialist with intimate partner violence prevention strategies directing prevention for high risk situations and cases.

A national trainer to law enforcement, training officers, prosecutors, judges, legislators, social service providers, healthcare professionals, victim advocates and the faith based community. In partnership withManagement Resources Ltd. of New York addressing prevention and solutions within the community to the workplace.

Online contributions: Forbes : Crime, She Writes providing commentary about the hottest topics on crime, justice, and law from a woman’s perspective, as well as Time's Up! a blog which searches for solutions (SOS) for victims of crime.

Radio Shows: Susan is the host of The Susan Murphy Milano Show, "Time's Up!" . She is a regular contributor to the nationally syndicated "The Roth Show" with Dr Laurie Roth and a co-host on Crime Wire.

Books: Time's Up: A Guide on How to Leave and Survive Abusive and Stalking Relationships,Moving out, Moving on, and Defending Out Lives.

www.imaginepublicity.com

Oklahoma Passes Important Law For Cold Cases

By Sheryl McCollum, Holly Hughes and Susan Murphy Milano

The Governor of Oklahoma this week signed HB 3294 into law.

-HB 3294 by Rep. Sue Tibbs, allows the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to reveal otherwise confidential information in cold cases and unsolved criminal cases or suspicious deaths to outside agencies or individuals who are providing interpreter services, questioned document analysis, laboratory services or other specialized services that are necessary in the assistance of bureau investigations.

This new law is especially important to the recent investigation by the “Intimate Partner Homicide Investigation” team of Sheryl McCollum, Director of the cold case Investigative Research Institute in Atlanta, Holy Hughes, Former Prosecutor turned Defense Attorney, and Violence Expert Susan Murphy Milano regarding the unsolved murders of Sheila Deviney and Chanda Turner in Garvin County, Oklahoma.

Intimate Partner Homicide Investigation and their partner and sponsor Websleuths.com actively pursue justice by re-opening cases for families where the victims have been silenced by a husband, boyfriend or former lover.

The State of Oklahoma has operated and carried out their brand of “good old boy” justice harming families for too many years.

Information on cases that you suspect or have yet to be solved as they relate to Intimate Partner crime investigation and homicide, and you would like us to profile the case on the show,which airs every Monday evening at 9:00 PM Eastern time, is welcomed for consideration for a future show by email to us with news articles, copies of police reports and other documentation to the Websleuths.com site or directly to us at IPHInvestigation@gmail.com.

Please include your name, your relationship to the person you would like profiled on a future show and a working contact number where we can reach you.

To read the latest on the Chanda Turner and Sheila Deviney murders go to the Time's Up blog.

The Murder of Sheila Deviney "Oklahoma Style"

By Sheryl McCollum, Holly Hughes and Susan Murphy Milano

The murder of Sheila Deviney on January 6, 2004, was no accident. Sheila Deviney was in fact murdered! On Monday evening's show on "Intimate Partner Homicide Investigation" we were flooded with calls from friends, relatives, college professsors, co-workers, and former classmates providing vital information regarding the murder of this young woman.

Dozens of statements, now recorded in podcast, from callers on the show as to Sheila's fear, her statement of mind and the threats made against her life, including the day before the fire, were never investigated by authorities. So how the heck does a case go cold for so many years without an investigation, a named suspect or an arrest? The answer is clear. The state never investigated the murder. The state even allowed a former ex-husband and buddy within days of the fire to enter private property and literally cut up the crime scene (the home) and dump it into a river. Only a person who has motive and something to hide goes to those extremes. Think about the fact the couple were no longer married. The only ties to the couple were the children. The ex-husband had no legal interest in the home or its contents.
The position of the body and the lack of smoke in her lungs after the fire shows Sheila Deviney was murdered.
Sheila's family, since her murder, has been trying to get the District Attorney's office in Oklahoma to open the case. The former elected officer refused to do his job and ignored the case. Now, with a different District Attorney elected into office, the case is still being ignored.

As we wait for the cobwebs to be dusted off the desk of Oklahoma District Attorney, Greg Mashburn, this particular cold case and facts into Sheila Deviney's murder will not be ignored by the Intimate Partner Homicide Investigation team of Sheryl McCollum, Holly Hughes and Susan Murphy Milano.
If you have any information on this case please contact us by email at IPHInvestigation@gmail.com. All information received will be kept confidential.
In the weeks ahead we will provide others facts on this case and keep you updated on any new developments.

Intimate Partner Homicide Investigation: Hosts Holly Hughes, Sheryl McCollum and Susan Murphy Milano-Monday August 2, 2010 at 9:00 PM EST

By Holly Hughes, Sheryl McCullom and Susan Murphy-Milano

Tonight on "Intimate Partner Homicide Investigation"along with our show sponsor Websleuths.com a case of murder, cover-up, violence, stalking and negligence.

On January 6, 2004, the burned body of Sheila Deviney was discovered. In 2006, after a grand jury investigation her death was changed from "accidental" to homicide. According to the State Fire Investigators report several fires were started in various locations within the home.

No surprise the day before the fire on January 5, 2004, Sheila Deviney was in family court with her former husband Tyson Hendrix. Between orders of protection, verbal threats of murder, warrants for failure to pay child support and custody of the children, the motive points to only one person. Yet, Greg Masburn the District Attorney in Garvin County, Oklahoma has refused to review the facts in this case. And refused to bring this case to a grand jury for an indictment. Interesting words on the website of DA Greg Masburn "The District Attorney must strive to seek justice, protect our communities,and represent those who have been the victims of crime." Have they forgotten about Sheila Deviney?

Holly Hughes former Atlanta Prosecutor turned defense attorney, Sheryl McCollum, Director of Cold Case Investigative Research Institute and Susan Murphy-Milano, Violence Expert and Author of the new book "Time's Up" have joined forces to bring new eyes to cases of intimate partner homicide. Intimate Partner Homicide Investigation gives these cases a front and center seat instead of a back door crime occurring behind closed doors.

The show is sponsored by the interactive crime and news site Websleuths.com

To listen to the show live for Monday August 2, 2010, and participate in the chat room, the direct link for the show is HERE

We will take your call live. The number to call in with questions :

The number is 347-326-9337

Do you have a case you would like us to consider for a future show? Or you would like to contact us? Please contact us via our email address at IPHInvestigation@gmail.com