Cold Case Files: Investigators still working homicide of Delaware County man who went missing from Jay in 2017

Christopher Michael Teel, a 32-year-old Cherokee Nation father, disappeared from Jay, Oklahoma, on January 2, 2017. His skeletal remains were found in February 2023, and his death is now a homicide investigation.

Teel was last seen at 11:00 p.m. outside his aunt’s apartment at City Park Apartments in Jay. He left to meet someone in the parking lot. Witnesses saw him enter a dark four-door sedan, possibly a Chevrolet Impala, which drove off. He left behind his coat, hat, cell phone, and ID. The temperature was below 20°F. His family reported him missing the next day.

The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office searched the area and followed tips, but no leads panned out. Teel’s case was entered into NamUs and The Charley Project. Flyers were distributed, and the family held vigils, but the case went cold.

On February 12, 2023, a woodcutter found skeletal remains in a wooded area northeast of Jay, a 10-minute drive from the apartments. His dog alerted him to the site. The Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed the remains as Teel’s in March 2023 using dental records and DNA from his mother. Decomposition prevented a clear cause of death, but the isolated location and lack of belongings indicated foul play.

The case is now a homicide investigation. The sheriff’s office is re-interviewing associates and analyzing evidence such as fibers, soil, and bone marks for DNA. The dark sedan and its driver are key focuses. Sheriff Shane Jones stated the death was not accidental.

Teel’s family held a private memorial in spring 2023. They seek answers. The investigation continues with support from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and federal partners.

Tips are requested at (918) 253-4531 or the Oklahoma Cold Cases hotline at 1-800-522-8017 (anonymous).