New Clues In Sweeney Murder Case

By Ashli Sims, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Tulsa Police are investigating new clues in one of the city's biggest unsolved murders.

Former TU football Hall of Famer Neal Sweeney was gunned down at his business, Retail Fuels Marketing, last September.

Now detectives believe they have found an abandoned van matching the description of the getaway car.

Detectives say they have no reason to believe someone in Sweeney's personal life wanted him dead. They have been focusing on his business life, and the possibility that the case was one of murder for hire.

A stolen van found at the back of an apartment complex near 36th and Lakewood looks like one police were seeking in connection with the shooting.

"We don't necessarily know that it's connected to Sweeney at this time," Sgt. Mike Huff of Tulsa Police said. "But the fact that it was stolen from outside the city during the timeframe of the Sweeney murder is significant in and of itself."

The van has Kansas plates, and police believe it was stolen from the Muskogee area. It also has a couple of flat tires, which leads police to believe it's been at the complex for a while.

"Well, this is just another lead, and we check out leads every day," Huff said. "This is just apparently attracting a lot of attention. We've got plenty of investigation to do."

That investigation now turns to this van. They are having it towed and will now go over it with a fine-tooth comb to look for clues.

Police officers canvassed the apartment complex looking for anyone who knew anything about the van or who it might belong to.

Detectives say it is only one of many leads they have been following during the past four months.

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