Tulsa Police arrest suspect in connection with death of an elderly Tulsa woman

Tulsa homicide detectives have worked for the past eight days to solve the city's most recent homicide, the murder of 86-year-old <b><a class="headlinelink" href="http://www.kotv.com/main/home/searchKOTV.asp?mainSearch=Georgia

Thursday, September 22nd 2005, 10:00 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa homicide detectives have worked for the past eight days to solve the city's most recent homicide, the murder of 86-year-old Georgia Sherman.

News on 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright has new information about what the murder suspect told Tulsa Police about the crime.

Wilford Thompson, Junior had been free from prison for only seven months and now, he's back in a jail cell. Records show he was convicted of kidnapping, armed robbery and possessing a stolen vehicle in the late 1980's.

A jury originally sentenced him to 125 years in prison, but he won his appeal, decided to plead guilty and got a 25 year term. He served 17 years and was released in February. Now, he's facing a murder charge, accused of beating to death a helpless woman.

Tulsa homicide unit detective Jeff Felton: "It's hard to imagine what a motive could even be in something like that, but, that part is still under investigation." This case started September 13th when Tulsa Police found Georgia Sherman inside her home, she'd been dead a couple of weeks.

Her car was missing and detectives knew that was the key. They were relentless in their effort to find who had taken the car and released a composite sketch of a man. It led them to Thompson. An affidavit says Thompson was seen talking to Miss Sherman in early September and afterward she told a neighbor she was afraid because he'd been demanding a "ride and money."

Her car was missing the next day and another witness says Thompson drove that car to her home and he had "blood spatter on his shirt." When she asked him about it, she says he told her, "Itâ€™s not mine." She says Thompson drove the victim's car often between September 3rd and September 19th, when Tulsa Police discovered her car near Thompson's home. They say he willingly answered the questions, but never showed any signs of grief or remorse.

The News on 6 talked to a member of Thompson's family Thursday, but they didn't want to speak on camera. They told Lori Fullbright, only that they were going through a very difficult time.