Elie, 32, and Mary Waybourn, 31, were murdered on June 5th, 1975, about 10 miles southeast of Wilburton, Oklahoma, near the Bengal community.

The couple were working on a fence in an area thick with woods about 1/4th of a mile from their home when they were both shot from a distance, sniper-style. A high-powered rifle was used. Mary was shot in the hip and died three days later. Elie was shot in the back and died on arrival at the hospital.

Elie had a criminal record for burglary and had been sentenced to three years in prison. He tried to escape at one point but was caught. He had a few different criminal proceedings pending at the time of his murder. He had also been arrested for trying to hit another Bengal resident with his car. Mary was a key witness in an upcoming trial for bail bond improprieties against a Delta County Sheriff (Texas) named Bennie Fisher and two bondsmen, H.D. (Pete) Bledsoe, a former Delta County Sheriff, and his father, Curtis Fisher. Bennie was accused of funneling business to the two men. Mary personally experienced this when she tried to arrange bonds for Elie. Elie and Mary had also started putting up fence on his land to keep cattle off but the land was locally considered to be free range land. An unknown person kept cutting the fences.

Mary and Elie have two children who have been active in finding answers to their parents murders. They wrote letters to the House Speaker at the time and the Governor asking for assistance in solving the murders. Local investigators had not been helpful in their opinions.

In researching Elie’s murder I discovered that he isn’t white like the OSBI and other records state. His 3rd great-grandmother was Lucy Fish, Cherokee. He is descended from both Cherokee and Chickasaw Tribes. I (Jen Eastwood) also discovered that Elie’s aunt, Nancy Waybourn, married my 2nd cousin 2x removed, Carl Leo Jordan.

If you have any information on the murders of young parents Mary and Elie Waybourn, please call the OSBI at 800-522-8017.