Family Discusses Elderly Man's Murder

By Lori Fullbright, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- A Tulsa murder victim's family talks about their loss.  As Roland Buck's family talks about his life, police make a second arrest in his death.  Buck was found tied up and beaten to death inside his home last Thursday.  

Roland Buck and his brother had hitchhiked to Tulsa from Indianapolis in the 1930's.  They attended the University of Tulsa and both graduated with engineering degrees in 1940.  Buck's family calls him Rollie and they're still shocked by the brutality of his death.

Roland Buck loved going to Grand Lake with his nephews.  They had been there on Sunday, November 16th.  Rollie drove brought them back to Tulsa, dropped them off, and then drove home.  He had no idea evil was waiting in his garage.

"It was a shock when we found him.  Figured there would be a time I'd go in Rollie's house and find him, getting to be that time, but never thought he'd end up like this," said Roland's nephew, Loren Buck.

Police say William Nichols and Frank Torres jumped Rollie, put a blanket over his head and beat him, and then stole cash and his car.

When his nephews found him four days later, his overnight bag from the lake was still by the door.  Killing the 89-year-old man made no sense.

"Somebody could've hold Rollie, taken his keys, his wallet and accomplished just as much as what they got," said Roland's nephew, David Buck.

They say their uncle often hired people who knocked on the door, offering to trim trees or cut grass and he always paid in cash.  Police say that's how he met Frank Torres.

Rollie's family is grateful police so quickly made two arrests.

"Felt good to have that happen, felt right. Made things at least a little bit right for something so terribly wrong," said Roland's nephew, Loren Buck.

Rollie had been married more than 30 years, but, his wife passed away in 1990.  He never had children, but his nephews were like sons to him.  His death leaves a huge void in their lives.

"He was a part of our lives since we were born, like our parents in that way, always having Rollie around, even if we didn't see him, just having him around, was glad," said Roland's nephew, Loren Buck.

Homicide detectives are in Fort Worth, Texas, to interview Frank Torres, who was arrested in Fort Worth on Tuesday afternoon.  Torres and William Nichols are charged with second degree murder and robbery.

Rollie's funeral will be the day after Thanksgiving.

Related Story:

11/24/2008  Probe Continues Into Elderly Man's Death