True Crime Chronicles: Senseless carjacking and killing after kidnapping from Tulsa mall in 1999 left two dead
- Dennis McCaslin
- May 12, 2025
- 2 min read
On August 31, 1999, Mary Agnes Bowles, a 77-year-old retired banker and beloved Tulsa volunteer, was kidnapped from the Promenade Mall parking lot after her morning walk.
What began as a carjacking by John Fitzgerald Hanson and Victor Cornell Miller spiraled into a deadly crime spree that left Bowles and dirt pit owner Jerald Thurman dead, shaking Tulsa’s sense of security.
Hanson, 35, and Miller, 38, targeted Bowles for her car to fuel a robbery spree. After abducting her, they drove to a remote ditch near Owasso. When Bowles asked Hanson if he had anyone who loved him, he punched her.
Miller killed Thurman, who had spotted them on his property, and Hanson shot Bowles multiple times. Her body lay undiscovered for days. The pair’s spree continued with a video store robbery and a credit union heist before their arrest on September 9, 1999.
Mary Bowles was a Tulsa icon, known for her volunteer work and daily mall walks. Her niece, Sarah Parker Mooney, described her as someone who “gave her life to Tulsa,” only to lose it in a senseless act. Her death left a lasting void in the community and her family, who have endured 25 years of grief.
John Hanson, now 61, was convicted in 2001 for Bowles’ murder and sentenced to death, alongside a life sentence for Thurman’s killing. His defense claims he was manipulated by Miller, citing a 2016 autism diagnosis that made him susceptible to influence
Prosecutors, however, portray Hanson as a violent criminal with a history of armed robberies and prison misconduct, fully capable of the crime.
Victor Miller, initially sentenced to death for both murders, had his sentences reduced to life without parole on appeal. Hanson’s team alleges Miller confessed to being the shooter in Bowles’ death, a claim that briefly won Hanson a new trial in 2005 before it was overturned in 2006. The state insists Hanson was equally culpable.
Hanson’s death sentence has sparked debate over sentencing disparities, as Miller avoided execution. In 2022, the Biden administration blocked Hanson’s transfer from federal prison, but President Trump’s 2025 executive order enabled his return to Oklahoma.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond championed the move, stating, “Justice for Mary Bowles is long overdue.”
On May 7, 2025, the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board voted 3-2 to deny Hanson clemency, rejecting arguments about his autism and Miller’s alleged greater role. Unless a federal judge grants a stay, Hanson faces execution on June 12, 2025.
Bowles’ murder remains a wound in Tulsa’s heart. Her family seeks closure, with Mooney noting the “nightmare” of their loss.
As Hanson’s execution looms, the case underscores the enduring pain of violent crime and the complex quest for justice.
