Do you know who murdered Beatrice? In the summer of 1986, the life of Beatrice La Rose Hodge, a 48-year-old mother known for her impressive 5'10' stature that earned her the nickname 'Tree,' came to a tragic and violent end in her Tulsa, Oklahoma home. A dedicated employee of Public Service Company of Oklahoma for 14 years and a passionate bowler in the Ladies All-Star league, Beatrice was a familiar and well-regarded member of her community.
Her daily routine included a phone call with her mother, and it was a break in this cherished habit that first signaled something was terribly wrong.
On the evening of August 9, 1986, after failing to reach her daughter by phone, Beatrice's concerned mother contacted a neighbor who held a key to her home at 603 E. 42nd Street North. Letting herself in around 6:40 p.m., the neighbor made a devastating discovery. Beatrice was deceased inside her residence, having been dead for more than 12 hours. The scene suggested a violent struggle; there were pry marks on the back door, indicating a forced entry into the home.
An investigation into her death determined that Beatrice Hodge had sustained blunt force trauma and the ultimate cause of her death was asphyxiation, believed to be from either strangulation or smothering. Despite the evidence of a home invasion and a violent homicide, the case grew cold over the years. To date, there have been no arrests made in connection with the murder of Beatrice Hodge, and no suspects have been publicly identified. Her death remains an unsolved crime, a painful and lingering mystery for her family and the Tulsa community.
