Glenpool mother still missing after 11 years

Tuesday, February 17th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Eleven years ago Tuesday, a Glenpool mother promised her children she'd see them in a few hours and then, simply disappeared. She hasnâ€™t been seen since and now her children are old enough to start asking some tough questions and they expect answers.

News on 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright takes a fresh look at this cold case. Tracey Samuels was a pretty 24 year old woman, wife and mother of two. February 17th, 1993 was two days before her daughter's 8th birthday. That little girl is now in college.

Kristina Chastain: "Woke up that morning and went to school and my mom said she'd pick me up that afternoon. I waited until about six o'clock and she wasn't there." Tracey's pickup was found in a west Tulsa parking lot. A witness saw her get into a white, flatbed truck with a man she seemed to know. Police say Tracey borrowed a thousand dollars that day, perhaps to pay off a drug debt, but they don't believe she left willingly.

Kristina Chastain: "I don't think my mom is alive because she was such a strong willed person, but, I want to know what happened for closure and for my little brother. We both deserve to know that." Kristina asked Glenpool's police chief to turn the case over to Tulsa's cold case squad so a set of fresh set of eyes can look at the case.

Chief Bible told us he will, but says two key people in the case died, others refuse to cooperate and there's been no activity on her social security number. So there's not much to go on, but he too, wants this case solved. "Somebody knows what happened and I hope they'll develop a guilty conscience or get caught up in the legal system and need assistance and will help us out on this."

Glenpool Police say they've exhausted every lead, drained a creek for her body, even had an astrologer offer to help them but there's simply no answer. And, that's the one answer the family doesn't want to hear. Chief Bible says there are many theories and rumors about what happened to Tracey, but, not enough evidence to file charges against anyone.

Kristina says the hardest part is not remembering her mother's voice or having her there for milestones, like high school graduation.

If you have information about this case, you can call the Glenpool Police Department at 322-8110.