In the summer of 2009, the community of Oklahoma City was shaken by the violent death of a well-liked local businessman. Dwight Patrick, a 59-year-old Caucasian male, was discovered brutally murdered on August 8, 2009. His body was found inside his work van, associated with his business, Patrick's Plumbing, which was parked near Southwest 84th Street and McKinley Avenue. The scene told a grim story of a violent struggle; Patrick had been both beaten and stabbed multiple times.
The news of his death sent ripples of shock and grief through his family and all who knew him as a dedicated father and a kind-hearted neighbor.
The investigation into the homicide quickly pointed toward a familiar face. Authorities identified 33-year-old Noel Fuentes, a long-time family friend and a former employee of Patrick's, as the primary suspect. The relationship between the two had reportedly soured in the days leading up to the murder due to a heated argument over money. Witnesses reported seeing Fuentes leaving the area just before the police arrived on the scene.
In the immediate aftermath of the discovery, an arrest warrant was issued for Noel Fuentes. However, he managed to evade capture, and investigators believe he fled to Mexico, where he was known to have connections in either Baja California or Sonora. For over a decade, Fuentes has remained a fugitive from justice, leaving the case as a painful and unresolved chapter for Dwight Patrick's three sons and the Oklahoma City Police Department. The search for new leads continues in the hope of one day bringing closure to a case that has left a lasting scar on a family and a community.
