A 24 year old man is found dead along a rural road in Custer County, OK In the fall of 2012, the life of a young Cheyenne and Arapaho man was tragically cut short, leaving a community in mourning and a family searching for answers. Twenty-four-year-old Chazarae Pete Bearshield, known affectionately as 'Chaz,' was a resident of Custer County, Oklahoma, who had grown up and attended schools in both Clinton and Weatherford.
He was known by those who loved him as a sweet man who enjoyed drawing and writing in his free time.
The last time Chazarae was seen alive was on October 15, 2012, driving in Clinton. A week later, on October 23, his body was discovered in a ditch on a rural road just outside of the town. An investigation revealed that Bearshield had been shot six times. His sister later recounted that Chaz had not expressed any fears for his safety or mentioned anyone who might wish him harm, adding to the mystery surrounding his violent death.
More than 300 people attended Chazarae's funeral services on October 30 at the First Christian Church, a testament to the many lives he had touched. He was laid to rest in the Clinton Indian Cemetery. In the years following his death, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has had several leads in the case, but no suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made. The murder of Chazarae Bearshield remains an unsolved cold case, a painful and lingering mystery for his family and community who continue to seek justice.
