Part Seven:
Annastasia Runningwolf was twenty-five years old when she was found murdered in Oklahoma City. She had been having a rough go of it at the time, trying to overcome an addiction that she had battled for years. By 2005 she had been in and out of the family home, where she had largely been raised by her mother and grandparents, but after having not been able to stay clean, her grandfather said no more- and Annastasia turned to the streets of Oklahoma City.
She worked the streets as many girls in her position do, however she remained in pretty constant contact with her family. Mostly due to the fact that her three children had been living with her family, and not talking with her kids was non-optional for Annastasia. She knew what it was like having a parent with addiction issues, and it wasn’t a life she wanted for her kids. However, due to a traumatic childhood, Annastasia ended up where she was- in and out of cheap motels, picking up Johns where she could.
In October of 2005 after an argument with her family about being able to come out to see her daughter, Annastasia’s contact with her family dropped off. Her family had assumed she was just cooling off and everything was fine. However, on November 3rd, law enforcement knocked on their door to inform them that a body had been found and they believed it was Annastasia.
Whether Annastasia’s murder is in fact connected with the Lawton Killer is a matter of conjecture, but my research says it probably is- that he had moved on to Oklahoma City after the community and law enforcement figured out that he was actively killing girls in the Lawton area.
Annastasia was found in a drainage ditch. Naked except for a blanket. It was at 23rd and Miller in Oklahoma City- an area that her sister Lilly rattled off to me without hesitation when we spoke about Annastasia. Lilly had said that sentence would be forever burned into her brain- Lilly had been the one who received the notification that her sister was likely dead.
When asked who her sister was, Lilly had responded saying Annastasia had been a very resourceful, intelligent girl. That she had been voracious, never doing anything in moderation. She had been a mother of three young children. All of whom have struggled in life after their mother’s murder. Annastasia was more than what happened to her.
As far as my research can say- Annastasia was the last victim to whom I believe is the same killer. A leading myth of serial killers is that they do not stop killing unless they’re killed themselves, or in prison for another crime. This isn’t wholly true. Serial killers stop for a variety of reasons; they get married, have kids, change jobs, etc. The Golden State Killer for example- just simply took a break as far as we know. Sometimes they become difficult to find simply because their killing methods do change- especially when they come close to getting caught.
I will leave you with a list of other potential victims, and say that if anyone has any information on them, please contact me.
*Paoli Jane Doe, found on 6/24/87 in Paoli. Her namus number is UP5054
*Karen Renee Swanson, found at a truck stop in August 1992
*Caddo County Jane Doe, found 4/24/95. Her Namus number is UP6604
*Shavonda Ingle, killed in Lawton on 1/9/98
*Patsy Leonard, found in Shawnee 1/9/03
*Courtney Price, missing from Lawton since at least 6/30/14. Her Namus is MP60656
Someone knows something- they know something about all of the girls I’ve written about in the last month. Its time to break your silence.
UPDATE: As of March 2022 Caddo County Jane Doe has been identified as being Katrina Kay (Burton) Bentivegna. It is not believed that her murder is related in anyway to the Lawton killings.