McAlester Woman Demands Answers About The Death Of Her Son

Demanding answers about the death of a McAlester woman's son. <br/><br/>A homicide investigation is underway into the fatal shooting of the 23-year-old earlier this month. It happened on the property

Friday, August 25th 2006, 10:33 am

By: News On 6

Demanding answers about the death of a McAlester woman's son.

A homicide investigation is underway into the fatal shooting of the 23-year-old earlier this month. It happened on the property of a well-known local businessman, whom investigators are questioning.

News on 6 reporter Heather Lewin says the victim's mother wants to know why he hasn't been arrested.

"I am trying to find justice for my murdered son." Kathy Mordecai doesn't mind the heat or the strain from standing all day holding a sign. She says she's doing it for someone who can no longer speak for himself.

Her son Ty was shot to death in the early morning hours of August 3rd in rural Pittsburg County. "My son was unarmed, no gun no knife, nothing." Mordecai says her son had worked for the suspect and likely went to collect his money. â€œHe owed my son $1,700 for that work and refused to pay him."

Investigators say Ty was shot in the chest. Mordecai says authorities know who pulled the trigger. "There's been no arrest, no charges. Our district attorney has admitted that he's gone on hunting trips with this man to Colorado, knows him personally... I think that has a lot to do with why charges haven't been filed."

Pittsburg County District Attorney Jim Bob Miller told the News on 6, he does know the suspect and just about everyone else in town. Miller says he also knew the victim, who once worked for his family. He says neither fact is affecting his decision to wait until after investigators turn in their final report, before any charges are filed.

As for Mordecai's protest he said. "She has made up these allegations that I have some kind of personal conflict, which is untrue. This is a terrible tragedy but there is nothing unusual about this investigation."

Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokesperson Jessica Brown: "On a homicide investigation where we have a suspect in mind it typically takes us months to do it. It doesn't mean an arrest can't be made that night, but it's really up to the district attorney whether he wants that or she wants that. In this case, that didn't happen."

Kathy Mordecai: â€œIf it was just anybody that wasn't friends with the right people in this town, and it's been done many times, they would sit in the county jail until the investigation was complete."

For now it seems to be simply a matter of waiting. The DA says he'll make his decision once the final report is in. But if no arrest is made then, Mordecai says she'll file a petition calling for a grand jury.