Roberta Lynn Daniel
Date Found: January 2, 1988
Location: Watonga, Oklahoma
Investigating Agency: Blaine County Sheriff’s Office
(580) 623-5111
On January 2, 1988, Roberta Lynn “Bobbie” Daniel was found murdered in her home in Watonga, Oklahoma. That night was cold, with snow and ice covering the roads. Bobbie’s husband, Terry Daniel, claimed he was at work on Saturday and discovered his wife brutally attacked when he returned home. Bobbie had been brutally assaulted—her skull crushed, throat slit, and a hunting knife left driven into her left side. Authorities determined the knife was Terry’s.
The only sign of forced entry was a broken window near the back door. Some jewelry was stolen and later found in a bag along a country road. In 1994, Terry was indicted for Bobbie’s murder, but in a 2000 trial, he was acquitted. Despite this, doubts about his innocence remain, particularly from Bobbie’s daughter from her first marriage. Terry was the primary beneficiary of a $500,000 life insurance policy on Bobbie, taken out months before her death. With interest, the payout eventually reached around $1 million.
Around 22 other suspects were investigated and cleared, leaving only Terry. One suspect, a family friend, was accused of having an affair with Bobbie, though no evidence supported this claim, and the friend denied it. However, Bobbie had confided in a close friend just weeks before her death, expressing fear for her life. Though she wouldn’t reveal why, she said she was happy in her marriage.
The original theory suggested a robbery gone wrong, with Bobbie surprising the intruder. But the evidence didn’t fully support this. Investigators noted that the broken window showed no signs of actual entry, and it was too far from the door handle to provide access.
The medical examiner’s report raised further questions. It indicated that Bobbie lay on her side for 15-30 minutes before being turned onto her back. The knife, found in her side, was inserted postmortem.
Bobbie Daniel’s murder remains an unsolved mystery. Some believe Terry committed the crime and escaped justice, while others think her killer remains at large. Sadly, neither Bobbie nor her young daughter has seen justice. If you have any information about the murder of Roberta “Bobbie” Lynn Daniel, please contact the Blaine County Sheriff’s Department at (580) 623-5111.You can also submit a tip anonymously to your local law enforcement agency.