Attorney General’s Multicounty Grand Jury Indicts Former Cordell Man in Murder of Ex-Girlfriend

 

Attorney General’s Multicounty Grand Jury Indicts Former Cordell Man in Murder of Ex-Girlfriend

 

AG’s MCGJ Unit assists state, local law enforcement in fourth cold case homicide

 

OKLAHOMA CITY – After seven years of intense investigation into the death of Melissa Flores, the Attorney General’s Multicounty Grand Jury Unit on Tuesday released an indictment against her ex-boyfriend, Ronnie Dean Denny Jr. The grand jury issued the indictment during its June session.

 

Denny, 35, was indicted on one count of murder in the first degree in the death of Flores, who went missing on Jan. 27, 2007, in Washita County. Flores and Denny lived together at the time. Denny was arrested July 1 on a warrant in Collin County, Texas. The Attorney General’s Office is seeking extradition of Denny from Texas to Oklahoma.

 

“Melissa’s family has endured a difficult seven years waiting for delayed justice. I commend our agents and prosecutors for their commitment to this case to make an arrest in Melissa’s death and bring some solace to her family,” Attorney General Pruitt said. “Our multicounty grand jury offers an opportunity to assist local law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of cases, ranging from homicide to narcotics violations. I commend the grand jurors for their continued sacrifice and dedication to this public service.”

 

Flores, the mother of three young children, was reported missing by her family on Jan. 28, 2007. She was last known to be at the Cordell home of Denny, with whom she had a child. Items belonging to Flores, including her cell phone, purse and car, were found at Denny’s residence. Law enforcement officials searched Denny’s home, but did not find enough evidence to arrest him at that time. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has interviewed numerous people and searched for Flores’ remains, but Flores’ remains have never been found.

 

Since 2007, the Washita County Sheriff’s Office, the Washita County District Attorney’s Office, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation made it a priority for their offices to vigorously investigate this crime.

 

The Flores case is the fourth cold case homicide or missing person case assisted by the AG’s Multicounty Grand Jury Unit.

 

In July 2013, the MCGJ Unit investigated the disappearance of Shannon Ebert at the request of his family and law enforcement. The Blackwell man had been missing since April 2007. During the investigation by agents from the AG’s Office, Shannon’s body was found at the state Medical Examiner’s Office classified as a “John Doe.” His death is unsolved.

 

In December, the Custer County District Attorney’s Office charged Tucker McGee with first degree murder in the death of JaRay Wilson. Due to testimony before the grand jury, the AG’s Office was able to secure the location of JaRay’s remains and work to recover evidence at the site in cooperation with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Custer County DA’s Office and the Custer County Sheriff’s Office. McGee’s trial will be held in Custer County.

 

In September 2012, the MCGJ indicted Amanda Sanders Bolstad, charging her with first degree murder in the death of Heath Reams, who was killed in July 2003. The case was filed in September 2012 in Pawnee County and will soon be set for trial.

 

The state Multicounty Grand Jury also has assisted in solving two homicide cases with the Oklahoma City Police Department and the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office.

 

The multicounty grand jury was requested by Attorney General Scott Pruitt and approved by the Oklahoma Supreme Court in September 2012. It is led by Assistant Attorney General Megan Tilly, chief of the AG’s Multicounty Grand Jury Unit.

 

The state’s multicounty grand jury has jurisdiction to investigate criminal matters in all 77 counties, assisting local law enforcement as well as handling matters of state interest. To date, the 14^th Oklahoma Multicounty Grand Jury has returned 17 indictments.

 

NOTE: A file-stamped copy of the indictment will be available Tuesday afternoon.

 

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 For more information, contact: Diane Clay, Director of Communications, (405) 522-0166, diane.clay@oag.ok.gov, or Aaron Cooper, Director of Public Affairs, (405) 522-2924, aaron.cooper@oag.ok.gov.

 

 

 

• Unstamped+Denny+Indictment.pdf