Do you know who murdered Terry? On a warm evening in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the life of 32-year-old Terry W. Schmidt, a man who had served his country as a Marine and was building a career with American Airlines, was tragically cut short. The date was July 1, 1990, and what began as a casual dinner with colleagues would end in a senseless act of violence that has remained unresolved for decades.
After finishing a meal at a T.G.I. Friday's restaurant located at 6100 S.
Memorial Drive, Schmidt and his two coworkers made their way into the parking lot around 1:30 in the afternoon. As they walked towards their cars, a sense of unease settled in as another vehicle began circling their location. The car then abruptly stopped, and a man emerged, brandishing a gun. He approached Schmidt and demanded money.
True to his character as a fearless Marine, Schmidt refused to back down and a struggle ensued between him and his assailant. The situation quickly escalated as two other men joined the attacker, overwhelming Schmidt. In the ensuing chaos, a single gunshot rang out, and the assailants fled the scene in their vehicle. Schmidt was left critically wounded. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where medical staff fought to save his life, but his injuries were too severe. Terry Schmidt died the next morning.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, law enforcement launched an investigation. The suspects' vehicle, which was later discovered to be stolen, was found abandoned at a recreational center. Inside the car, investigators recovered the weapon used in the murder. Despite this evidence, the identities of the three men responsible for Terry Schmidt's death have never been discovered, and no arrests have ever been made in the case. The murder of Terry W. Schmidt is now considered a cold case, a painful and unresolved chapter in the history of Tulsa, leaving a family to grapple with the unanswered questions of why a man who had faced down enemies abroad would be killed in his hometown.
