Neighbors Honor Tulsa Woman Murdered 7 Years Ago

The Shell gas station near 36th and Harvard closed for about a half hour Saturday night, while people gathered to honor a woman killed inside the store seven years ago.

Peggy Gaytan was murdered December 22, 2011. 

A handful of people came together at the gas station to remember Gaytan. Jennifer Harmon, who came to the store often, remembers their last conversation.

"She had her presents ready and she was ready to celebrate Christmas," Harmon recalled.

Harmon brought a homemade sign with an angel painted on it, to add to the makeshift memorial at the store. A cross sits there year-round. The group listened as Harmon said a prayer, and recited a Christmas poem together.

"This is one of the most senseless cases I ever saw,” Retired Tulsa Police Corporal Richard Coleman said.

Coleman was on the scene seven years ago.

"Another stupid, violent act. Somebody died,” Coleman said. “And somebody's not going home. Somebody's not going to be at Christmas."

In 2011, detectives described what happened as an "execution." The killer went in, shot Peggy, then ran away.

Officers released surveillance video hoping someone would recognize the man and his accomplice. Police said it was the same two men who robbed Ryan's Convenience Store just a few days earlier.

"There is a 12-year-old girl named Sommer, and she wants to know who killed her grandma,” Harmon said. “And she has had to suffer every Christmas since she was five."

Seven years later, the group hopes they won't be back next year, and that instead, there will be justice for Peggy.

Anyone with information about Peggy’s death is asked to call Tulsa Crimestoppers at (918) 596-COPS. You can remain anonymous.