On May 24th, 1978, Marlys Cook disappeared while selling books in an area between Classen and Robinson from NW 16th to NW 36th in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Her body would be discovered 4 days later. She was 6 days shy of her 20th birthday.

Marlys was only in OKC for the summer to work and had arrived the week before. She was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on May 30th, 1958 to Ralph and Mardella Cook. Marlys grew up in Brandon, South Dakota, with her two siblings, and graduated from Brandon Valley High in 1976. She went on to graduate cum laude from Waldorf College and was going to continue her education at Augustine College in Iowa.

On May 28th, the body of Marlys Cook was found by two kids floating in the North Canadian River near Harrah. She was identified through dental records. She had been last seen at her apartment at 710 NW 17th about 630 pm. She told the landlady she’d been given a ride by a security guard who works in OKC. She’d apparently been bitten by a dog but it didn’t seem to be serious. She kept the rest of her appointments that night but never arrived back home after her 10 pm appointment. Cause of death is listed as blunt force trauma to the head. There were no signs of sexual assault. No one has ever been charged in the murder of young Marlys Cook.

Please call the OKC Crime Stoppers at 405.235.7300 with any information in the murder of Marlys Cook. Every bit of information is helpful.