Man Kept Teens Locked In Room For 12 Days, Muskogee Police Say

A man is behind bars after investigators say he held two teens against their will for 12 days in Muskogee County.

Robert Lane Love, also known as Robert Lane, is accused of keeping a 15-year-old boy and girl locked inside a back room in a Wainwright home and not letting them leave for 12 days.

One girl told police that after she repeatedly asked if she could leave, Love pushed her down and threw a drink in her face.

 “Periodically, they were let out of the room, they were able to move freely about the house and they were able to go outside and go to the bathroom, but not free to leave the premises,” said Deputy Nick Mahoney.

Investigators say this kind of case is extremely rare and folks in Wainwright say they don’t know what to think.

According to an affidavit, the teens eventually convinced Love to let them go and they walked to a nearby gas station and called for help.

The affidavit states the two were runaways who were in Muskogee when they accepted a ride from Love.

Investigators believe the teens left their homes in Muskogee sometime around May 10th and thought they were getting a ride out of town from Love.  They say they didn’t get back home until around May 22nd, after repeatedly asking Love to let them go.

“Ultimately, they were able to talk him into letting them go,” said Mahoney.  “They’re shaken up, obviously, and their parents are glad they’re home and glad they’re safe, but, physically, they are fine.”

Mike Spradlin runs the gas station in Wainwright and says Love has lived in the community for more than 15 years.

He says he hadn’t heard about the kidnapping, but say whatever happened will eventually come out.

“It’s a small community,” he said.  “Everyone will know, sooner or later.”

The big question investigators still don’t know the answer to is why Love would hold these two teens against their will.  They hope to have answers soon.