ORU Community Grapples With Hicks Park Murders

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, Oklahoma -- The Oral Roberts University community is banding together to pray for the families of two young people who were brutally murdered in a Tulsa park Monday morning.

Police say 21-year-old Ethan Nichols and 18-year-old Carissa Horton were walking through Hicks Park when they were shot and killed on the jogging trail near a children's playground.

"Carissa Horton, a freshman and a resident of Claudius dormitory, was killed in an off-campus incident," ORU President Mark Rutland said in a message on the university web site.

"The Tulsa Police Department is investigating the incident, and we are working with them. Please be in prayer for her family, wingmates and all those who were impacted by her life."

Police arrested 19-year-old Darren Price and 21-year-old Jerard Davis for the crimes. They say Price was driving the stolen car that belonged to Ethan Nichols.

9/19/2011 Related Story: Tulsa Police Release IDs Of Victims In Hicks Park Murders

Reports show Davis told officers the two men saw the couple walking a dog near a jogging trail. Each man told officers the other is the one who had the victims get on their knees, then shot them each once in the head execution style, according to arrest reports.

Police say it was a cold blooded execution for no reason at all.

Horton had only been at college for a month, but those who knew her say she was sweet and kind.

"She had a very humble spirit about her. She was a music major so she and her roommate Alexis were always singing, you could hear them down the hall, beautiful voice and she always had the cutest shoes, I was like Carissa, I love them," said Jessica Fitzgerald, an RA at ORU.

Fitzgerald said the girls on Carissa's floor have cried and prayed together and take comfort knowing Carissa is with God.

"When they went into her room, there were scriptures posted everywhere. Even though she was quiet, she was so sweet and open and honest with everyone,"Fitzgerald said.

Reports say Price told officers where the gun was located. After getting a search warrant, police recovered the weapon in the bathroom of an apartment.

Police said one of the suspects had Nichols' cell phone and Nichols' parents told officers they'd received a text message from it at 12:15 p.m. Monday. Officers said a plan was devised to set up the suspects using a text to lure the suspects into a meeting to exchange money.

Price recently posted on his Facebook page that his baby was due in April. He said, "this is the new me, I'm a father, now first and foremost, no more young goon."

The other suspect, Davis, has a brother in jail already also charged with murder.

According to the ORU Oracle, Nichols and Horton were dating. Nichols worked at the Blue Bell Creamery in Broken Arrow, and Horton was killed one week before her 19th birthday.

They were childhood friends from Iowa. He moved here a couple of years ago, she moved here this year for college.

Carissa Horton's parents drove all night to reach Tulsa.