PAYNE COUNTY MAN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation says a missing persons case is now a homicide investigation.

A Payne County man was arrested on a murder complaint weeks after a young man was reported missing in Noble County.

Multiple agencies including the OSBI are investigating.

According to the Payne County Sheriff’s Office a body believed to be that of Samuel Crawford was found shot and buried Saturday.

The discovery was made on a rural property in Glencoe, OK.

September 1, Stillwater Police issued a missing persons alert.

According to investigators, Samuel Crawford, 21, had not been seen or heard from since August 29.

That day, surveillance video captured the last known images of Crawford’s white pickup truck leaving a gas station in Morrison, Oklahoma.

One week later on September 8, Crawford’s truck described by investigators as “very distinctive” as it was raised, equipped with large tires, and a large brush guard with lights, was found.

In a press release Tuesday, OSBI said a National Guard helicopter searching fields in Payne County located “portions of Crawford’s truck,” the following day on the same property and “agents discovered a deceased male.”

Christopher Michael Somers, 21, was arrested the same day, on complaints of Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Larceny of Motor Vehicle, Knowingly Concealing Stolen Property, and Operating a Chop Shop.

Investigators said Somers lived about 10 miles northeast of where the body was discovered.

Investigators are now waiting for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to positively identify the body.

Investigators said because the crime scene was expansive they hadn’t ruled out the possibility of additional arrests.