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THE ADA EVENING NEWS67TH YEAR NO. 291ADA, OKLAHOMA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 197120 PAGES10 CENTS WEEKDAY, 15 CENTS SUNDAYMANHUNT NARROWS TO THE MCALESTER AREAEUFAULA, Okla. (AP)-Mur-der charges were filed today against two men being sought by one of the state’s biggest manhunts for the slayings of a Highway Patrol officer and the superintendent of a state park.Two counts of murder each were filed against William B. Franklin, 23, and Edwin Edgar Jones, 24, by Larry Allen, assistant district attorney.The Highway Patrol said Jones was listed as AWOL fromFt. Wolters, Tex., and the only address they had was Mineral Wells, Tex. the last address for Franklin was Tulsa in connection with a 1962 prison term for robbery.The manhunt for the two men was concentrated in the McAles-ter area of southeastern Oklahoma after officers found an abandoned station wagon they said had been driven by Jones. They said he had left Tulsa in the vehicle Wednesday.But the officers said the two may have another auto, identified as a 1960 white Chevrolet with a Tulsa County license which they said was driven by Franklin.About 500 officers joined the search, either in the immediate area, aided by bloodhounds, or on roadblocks while other officers manned two planes. Plans were made to search through farmhouses in the area for the two men.The slayings occurred Wednesday night at Fountainhead State Park when officers tried to take the two into custody.Highway Patrol Chief Bill Mayberry said at least one weapon had been found in the blue 1967 station wagon identified as that used by the slayers. But they said the two reportedly had fled with two high-powered rifles a pitol and a shotgun. The car was found IVz miles west of Eu-faula. It was first found by a spotter plane.Local Highway patrol troopers and sheriff's deputies joined in the massive manhunt by establishing roadblocks in the Ada area last night and this morning.More than 100 roadblocks straddled the state’s roads and the patrol said eastern, southern, western and the Panhandlesections of the states had been sealed off and would remain that way until the two men were found.Assisting in the roadblocks were Arkansas and Texas state police forces.The two fugitives are believed to be slightly built Texans in their early 20s. They were hunted for the deaths of Oklahoma Highway Patrolman Bill Walker, 35, and state park superintendent Leo Newton.Game Ranger W. L. Pickens was in critical condition in a Tulsa hospital this morning with head and face injuries.Both suspects are believed wanted by Army authorities, the Highway Patrol said. One was thought to be a deserter from Vietnam and the other was believed absent without leave.Trooper Walker, answering a complaint about a disturbance in the park, stopped the twomen along side a road leading from the park lodge to an airstrip.He called his headquarters in McAlester and said he had arrested two heavily-armed men on an illegal possession of firearms charge.A female deputy sheriff from Okmulgee said she drove past the scene just before the shooting, and saw the patrolman and three other men seated in thepatrol car. She said a fifth man was standing outside the car.Newton and Pickens, who arrived shortly after the arrest were apparently the fourth and fifth men.Ken Newton, 14-year-old son of the park superintendent was riding his motorcycle nearby when he heard about 10 rapid shots. He said he thought his father was shooting skunks, and went to see.
Newspaper Details
Ada Evening News
Ada, Oklahoma, US
Thu, Feb 18, 1971
Page 21
Full Page
Clipped by
Charlene H.
TX, USA 07 Mar 2025
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