The OSBI and FBI are beginning a new investigation into a case about two Welch girls who went missing more than 25 years ago.
Key Takeaways
- Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman were kidnapped from Freeman’s home the same night her parents were killed.
- Freeman’s home was burnt down.
- The pair’s bodies were never found.
- New investigation searches north of Oklahoma.
Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman Go Missing
On New Year’s Eve 1999, Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman were kidnapped from Freeman’s home. The Freemans’ mobile home was burnt down, and inside, investigators found Ashley’s parents fatally shot.
Investigators believe the girls were tortured and killed, but their bodies were never found.
Ronnie Busick was convicted of accessory to murder in the girl’s disappearance. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison but only served one year because of credits for time served and good behavior.
In May 2025, Gov. Kevin Stitt passed Lauria and Ashley’s law, which requires anyone convicted of accessory to murder to serve 85 percent of their sentence.
New Search For Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman Begins
Neither the OSBI nor the FBI confirmed the reason for this new search.
The search is in Baxter Springs, Kansas, just north of the Oklahoma state line near Ottawa County.
