Do you know who murdered Gary? In the late summer of 1982, a sense of unease settled over a Tulsa neighborhood when 37-year-old Gary Lee Carter was found dead in his home. On September 1st of that year, a phone call originating from outside of Oklahoma prompted police to conduct a welfare check at his residence located at 12220 E. 38th Street. The homeowner let the officers into the house where they discovered Carter's body on the living room floor.
He had been shot in the head.
Carter, a male, had only been a resident of Tulsa for about three months, having moved from Illinois for a new job opportunity. He was the vice president of a local clothing company, Sweet Things, Inc., that specialized in sports and western wear. Investigators soon learned that several items had been stolen from his home and his car was missing. The vehicle was later found abandoned and burned, adding another layer of mystery to the case. Despite the missing items, police were hesitant to label the motive as solely robbery.
Delving into Carter's past, authorities discovered he had a criminal record and had previously served time in prison. He had been paroled in Illinois in 1978 after facing charges that ranged from DUI to armed robbery. This information added complexity to the investigation as they tried to piece together the events leading to his death.
As the investigation unfolded, leads were pursued, but a clear suspect or suspects never emerged. The case eventually went cold, leaving the questions surrounding the final moments of Gary Carter's life unanswered. To this day, his murder remains unsolved, and no arrests have ever been made in connection with the crime.
