In the early hours of a Sunday morning in Oklahoma City, the life of 19-year-old Tracey Tyler Humphrey was tragically cut short. On September 26, 2010, at approximately 3:45 a.m., Humphrey, an African American male, was a passenger in a car near Northwest 36th Street and Classen Boulevard when gunfire erupted from another vehicle. A bullet struck Humphrey in the head, inflicting a fatal wound.
The driver of the car Humphrey was in, also 19, quickly pulled over near Interstate 44 and Western Avenue to call for help. Paramedics arrived and rushed Humphrey to OU Medical Center, but his injuries were too severe, and he died at the hospital.
The investigation into the shooting suggested the involvement of a silver, four-door Chrysler sedan with tinted windows. Humphrey's mother believes he was followed from a club where an altercation had occurred in the parking lot earlier that night. Despite some leads, no suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made in connection with the homicide. The case remains a painful open wound for his family, who continue to hope for justice and have urged anyone with information to come forward.
Just three months before his death, Humphrey had graduated from Putnam City North High School and was reportedly working to turn his life around. He had a passion for art, especially drawing, and had aspirations of attending college. His family remembers him as a beloved figure in his neighborhood who was deeply devoted to his family, including his two brothers. At the time of his death, Humphrey was out on bail for a charge of accessory after the fact to first-degree murder in connection with a separate incident. His family maintains his innocence on that charge and laments that he never had the opportunity to clear his name in court.
