Body Found Dumped, Burned At Muskogee County Cemetery

Muskogee County Sheriff's investigators are awaiting confirmation of the identity of a body found dumped in a rural cemetery and set on fire.

Once they get confirmation of the identity from the medical examiner's office, it will help them determine where the victim was last seen alive.

The man's body was found in Taft, which is about 12 miles west of Muskogee.

At the Blackjack cemetery in Taft, fresh tire tracks lead away from a small scorched area right next to some of the headstones. Muskogee County investigators say that's where the body of a man in his late 40s or early 50s was discovered Tuesday afternoon.

"We didn't find any shell casings or anything, but it's a possibility that he could have been shot somewhere and then brought there and set on fire, but we're still trying to confirm that," said Captain Brandon Caster, Muskogee County deputy.

Investigators say whoever dropped off the body didn't even make an effort to hide the victim in nearby woods, or try to conceal it in anyway. The body was discovered by an employee with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, which maintains the cemetery.

"They think if they burn it, there will be nothing left, but nowadays we have advanced technology that we can actually go back and find out a lot of information, so it doesn't get rid of everything," Caster said.

Since the body was only partially burned, investigators did find his wallet with an ID.

Since the area is so remote, and there aren't many homes along the road leading to the cemetery, chances are slim that someone saw anything suspicious near the cemetery, but just in case, investigators hope if someone did, they'll call with information.

"It's a secluded cemetery off a back road, off a dead end. Not a lot of people know where it's at," said Captain Brandon Caster, MCSO.

"It could help a lot if someone saw anything."

Investigators will also look into whether the death is in any way connected to a case where remains were found in a burned car September 10th in Muskogee.

9/17/2014 Related Story: Remains Found In Muskogee County Burned Car May Be Missing Tulsa Man

The state Medical Examiner's Office will compare those remains with dental and medical records to see if there's a match with a man recently reported missing from Tulsa.