Two Arrested In Okmulgee County Homicide

NewsOn6.com

SCHULTER, Oklahoma -- Two people have been arrested in connection to a Halloween homicide of a 57-year-old man near Schulter.

The victim's step-daughter, 26-year-old Christina Stribel, was arrested Tuesday night in Tuttle. Another suspect, Dustin Martin, was captured after an hours-long manhunt Wednesday morning.

Stribel was taken into custody as she was dropping of her children at the home of her former in-laws. Authorities say Martin was with her at the time but managed to get away. He was later arrested after agents spent all night searching the area on foot and in the air.

The two were arrested on material witness warrants out of Okmulgee County. They're wanted for questioning in the death of Stribel's step-father, Timothy Parenti.

According to court documents, Parenti's wife Linda discovered his body on Monday, October 31. Timothy Parenti had left the couple's Tulsa home on Friday, October 28, to stay in Okmulgee for a few days. Mrs. Parenti says when she arrived at their Okmulgee home, it had fire and smoke damage. Inside, she discovered the partially burned remains of her husband.

The couple's Buick LeSabre was also missing from the home. It was later found burned in Washita County.

Mrs. Parenti called OSBI investigators and told them her daughter, Christine Stribel, also known as Christine Smith, telephoned her on October 29. Stribel said she and her boyfriend were looking for Mr. Parenti. Mrs. Parenti said Stribel called her a few hours later and said, "We did it. We killed him."

Mrs. Parenti claimed Stribel said they didn't mean to kill her husband. She said Martin had accidentally shot Mr. Parenti in the head with a gun that had a "hair trigger." Stribel then told her mother Martin had poured gas on Mr. Parenti's body and set him on fire.

OSBI agents say the evidence at the crime scene is consistent with the details Mrs. Parenti provided. 

11/01/2011 Related Story: Body Discovered In Partially Burned Okmulgee County Home