Marcia Tina Sanders

Marcia Tina Sanders

Date Found: March 6, 1986

Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Investigating Agency: Oklahoma City Police Department

(405) 297-1129

Marcia Tina Sanders, 22, was last seen alive on March 5, 1986. She was discovered in Oklahoma City on March 6, 1986. Her body had been dismembered, and found in two different locations. On March 6, 1986 a man living at 501 NE 1 in Oklahoma City, discovered  the upper torso, lower left leg and some pieces of tissue in an alley behind his house. There were two distinctive tattoos on the shoulder of the torso located in the alley. Police later identified these remains as Marcia Sanders. 

Six days later, the matching head turned up behind a house at 507 N Lindsay.  There was a fire near were these remains were founds, and it lay so close, that much of the face had burned off. Marcis was a transient at the time of her murder.

Police officially connected her to a series of killings attributed to a single perpetrator, whom they called “the Oklahoma City Butcher.” This was the first time authors had ever publicly named him. 

The OKC Butcher is an unidentified serial killer responsible for the murders of three women in Oklahoma City between 1976 and 1986. The killer targeted young, homeless Native American women, whom he murdered, dismembered, and mutilated. The infamous serial killer, Henry Lee Lucas, has been on the top of many peoples list of potential suspects, as he had admitted to killing Arley Killian, one of the confirmed victims of the OKC Butcher. This remains a widespread conspiracy as it soon became evident that Lucas was confessing to as many crimes as possible to break the monotony of prison life and gain privileges other inmates didn’t have. It is important to note, the OKC butcher remains unidentified to this day. 

His confirmed victims are Cathy Shackelford, Arley Killian and Marcia Sanders.  If you have any information about the OKC Butcher, or the murder of Marcia Tina Sanders, please contact the Oklahoma City Police Department at 405-297-1129.

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