Cold Case Files: Body found in Mayes County after two decades may have been tied to organized drug trade
- Dennis McCaslin
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
William Carl Reed, known as Bill, was a 32-year-old man born on March 21, 1955. He lived in the border area between Arkansas and Oklahoma, often seen around Siloam Springs in Benton Count and nearby spots in Delaware County such as Colcord and West Siloam Springs.
Reed was described as a local biker who rode a black Honda 1100 motorcycle. He stood about 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed between 155 and 175 pounds
.Reed disappeared in August 1987, with the most consistent date given as August 13.
He was last seen by family and friends in the Siloam Springs or Bentonville area. Reports were filed with the Benton County Sheriff's Office in Arkansas and also with the Delaware County Sheriff's Office in Oklahoma, since he crossed the state line frequently.
Some sources mention a possible later date of December 9, 1987, but August remains the primary timeline.
Reed was known to use drugs and associate with people involved in local drug activity. He was believed to work for dealers at times. Rumors circulated that his disappearance tied to a dispute over drug money, possibly an owed debt that led to violence.
Nearly a year later, on July 21, 1988, skeletal remains were discovered in a gully on private property near Maize in Mayes County , roughly 50 miles from where Reed was last seen. The remains belonged to a white male estimated to be 24 to 35 years old, about 5 feet 6 inches tall, with signs of periodontal disease.
He wore overalls and white socks with blue and red trim.
The medical examiner determined the death was a homicide, though the exact cause was not specified publicly due to the skeletal state
.The unidentified remains sat in storage for decades. In 2001, family members provided DNA samples to authorities. Efforts continued over the years, including reopening the case in 2007 at Reed's brother's request. In August 2018, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) sent a bone sample to the University of North Texas Forensic Services Unit for advanced DNA extraction.
A profile was developed and entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) in March 2019. It matched DNA from Reed's brother and daughter, who had submitted samples in 2010
This confirmed the remains as Reed's after more than 30 years. With the identification, the OSBI took over the active investigation as a homicide. No arrests have been made, and the case remains unsolved. Some original persons of interest are now deceased, imprisoned, or no longer in the area.
The investigation continues, focusing on leads from Reed's known associates and the drug-related circumstances.Reed's family gained some closure through the identification, but questions about who killed him and why persist.
From the beginning, the case has been a jurisdictional nightmare. One source told Today in Fort Smith that he has information indicating Reed was killed in Arkansas and his body was dumped at the Mayes County by a group of people who were aware of the homicide. The same source also claims the Reed murder is tied to at least one other high profile murder case from the same area,
Authorities from Benton County, Delaware County, and the OSBI have coordinated on the matter over the years. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the OSBI at 800-522-8017 or tips@osbi.ok.gov.
