TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa police located the body of Cassidy Ritchie Jan. 28, one week after she disappeared.
Homicide detectives served a warrant on the vehicle recovered near the "I Don't Care Bar and Grill" and discovered her body underneath clothing in the back of the vehicle after impounding it on Jan. 28.
Ritchie married Chris Morland on Jan. 7, according to Oklahoma court records. He was booked into the Tulsa County Jail on Jan. 25 on a warrant out of Texas and awaiting extradition when he was first questioned about Ritchie's disappearance earlier in the week.
Morland also has an extensive criminal past in multiple states, including charges of domestic violence and larceny.
For Joey David, Ritchie's oldest son, and Cheryl Ritchie, her mother, sadness is mixed with anger.
Both said they weren't aware of Morland's past with domestic violence, and that Cassidy Ritchie might not have been either.
"(Morland) just said the right things at the wrong time (to gain Cassidy's trust)," David said. "And he just took advantage of her."
"She saw the good in everybody and she just, she didn't deserve this at all. No one does," Cheryl Ritchie said.
"Our new family motto is, 'He messed with the wrong family.' he messed with the wrong family," she added.
Because they were married, detectives had to ask Morland for permission to search the vehicle.
Morland refused the request and as of Jan. 29 still refuses to answer any questions about Ritchie.
Because of this, according to Lt. Brandon Watkins, police had to get a search warrant before they could search the car even though they had it in their possession.
"It's a much more trusive(sic) search. We're looking for trace evidence, blood evidence. And what you don't want to do is contaminate the crime scene," Lt. Watkins told 2 News.
He added investigators found Ritchie's body hidden under blankets and clothes in the back of the SUV in a way that couldn't be seen from the outside.
Detectives are working with the DA's office to determine jurisdiction between Tulsa County and Rogers County because of the location where the car was initially found, but Tulsa police said they expected a first-degree murder charge for Morland.
Lt. Watkins told 2 News on Jan. 29 that he believes preliminary results from the medical examiner to state the cause of death within the next couple of days.
The Tulsa Police Department arrested Morland on Jan. 29 on complaints of first-degree murder. However, charges are still pending.
Her family last saw Cassidy Ritchie, 39, on Jan. 20, at the time police believed Ritchie might have been the victim of foul play.
"She was so happy on her wedding day," her brother, Kyle Ritchie, said on Jan. 26. "I don't know if she was just too scared, too scared to say anything. (Morland) just was a whole different person after the marriage."
TPD said Ritchie left somewhere off Highway 412 between Tulsa and Inola. Someone found Ritchie's car, a light blue 2006 Chrysler Pacifica, on the side of the road with a large amount of mud on it.
"There was quite a bit of grass and other damage, you know, dirt, that was caked up on there. Again, that was another thing that we found to be very concerning," Watkins added.
"Everybody really loved her. That's why everybody's trying so hard to find her," her brother, Kyle Ritchie, said.
The Ritchies are now raising money for funeral expenses through a GoFundMe.
A separate GoFundMe is set up for her surviving children.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- SUBSCRIBE on YouTube
