
Melba “Betty Ann” Coons was found murdered on August 13th, 1978 in a field east of Crossroads Mall in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Pictured here at 17, Betty Ann was 37-years-old when she was brutally murdered and dumped in a trashed-out field.
Betty Ann lived in Midwest City at the time and left her car at home that night. She was last seen with a male friend at a south OKC night club early in the am on August 13th. She and the friend had visited many clubs that night. Earlier in the night she had spent time with her boyfriend. Both of these men have been cleared in her murder.
Betty Ann’s body was found by a man looking through the trash and tall weeds around 1:30pm in the field located between Bryant and Eastern just north of I-240. She was fully clothed, but her top was halfway undone, and her jeans were partially open. Cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. Investigators believe she was killed before 5 am. It’s likely she was killed elsewhere and dumped in the field. No weapon was ever located. There are no known suspects.
Betty Ann had been twice married and had three children. Her 15-year-old son died in December 1978, only 4 months after her murder. She was born September 18th, 1940 and had 13 brothers and sisters. Her maiden name was White. At one point in the investigation, it was believed that serial confessor Henry Lee Lucas was responsible for her murder, but time has proven that untrue. Henry Lee Lucas was notorious for confessing to murders he never committed.
Please call OKC Crime Stoppers with any information in the murder of Betty Ann Coons at 405-235-7300. The smallest bit of information can break open a case.

