In the fall of 2014, a young woman’s life was tragically cut short in Tulsa, Oklahoma, setting off a multi-state manhunt for her killer. Christian Shockley, a 24-year-old female and a member of the Muscogee Nation, was fatally shot on October 8, 2014, at the Colonial Park Apartments. The incident shattered the autumn afternoon and left a community searching for answers.
Witnesses at the scene described a chilling sequence of events.
A pickup truck, later identified as a 2003 Tacoma, pulled into the apartment complex. The driver, identified as 37-year-old Erik Williams, emerged from the vehicle and opened fire on Shockley, his ex-girlfriend. The relationship between Shockley and Williams had reportedly ended just days before the fatal encounter. According to police, the act was not random; Williams had sought out Shockley with intent. Following the shooting, Williams fled the scene, abandoning his truck at a nearby apartment complex, which initiated an intense search by law enforcement.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on Williams as the sole suspect. Authorities believed he was receiving help from individuals in his 'underground' network to evade capture. For nearly two weeks, Williams remained a fugitive. The search culminated on October 21, 2014, when a collaborative effort involving multiple law enforcement agencies from Oklahoma, Utah, and Nevada led to his arrest. Williams was taken into custody without incident at a casino in West Wendover, Nevada.
Subsequent legal proceedings revealed more about the turbulent nature of Williams and Shockley's relationship, with reports of domestic violence. Williams was charged with first-degree murder. The case took a significant turn due to the location of the crime and Shockley's heritage. Because the murder occurred on land within the historic boundaries of the Muscogee Nation and the victim was a tribal citizen, the jurisdiction of the case was challenged. Ultimately, Erik Williams was convicted for the murder of Christian Shockley, bringing a measure of closure to a case that began with a senseless act of violence.
