Johnson Drywater, pictured here at age 12, was tragically found murdered on April 20, 1970, in Vian, Oklahoma. He was 31 years old at the time of his death. No older picture of Drywater has been uncovered to date.
On the morning of April 20, a Stilwell school bus driver discovered Johnson’s body in a ditch about a mile west of Dwight Mission, located at 100995 South 4590 Road, Vian. The discovery was made around 8 a.m. during the driver's normal school route.
An autopsy revealed that Johnson’s throat had been slashed twice from behind, likely with a very sharp hunting knife. There were no signs of a struggle at the scene, leaving authorities uncertain whether he was killed there or elsewhere.
Johnson was last seen alive at a tavern near Sallisaw around 10:30 p.m. the previous night. The evening at the tavern was reportedly calm, and Johnson had no known recent conflicts with anyone
. Although he was from Vian, police noted that he was well-known in Stilwell.
Born on February 1, 1939, in Evening Shade, Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, Johnson Drywater was a member of the Native American community. He attended Vian public schools and was not married at the time of his death. He had no known children but left behind several brothers and sisters.
The Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office continues to seek information regarding the ruthless murder of Johnson Drywater. Anyone with information is urged to call the Sequoyah County Sheriff at (918) 775-9155.
Any information, no matter how small, could be helpful in solving this case.
