In the quiet city of Ardmore, Oklahoma, a tragedy unfolded in late November 2023, leaving a family grieving and a community in search of answers. Linderal Petties, a 30-year-old woman, was found deceased by a family member in a residence on H Street Northwest. An investigation by the Ardmore Police Department revealed that she had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
The investigation into her death quickly gained momentum as authorities utilized surveillance footage from nearby residences
and businesses to piece together the events of that fateful day. The footage captured a suspect forcibly entering the home by kicking in the back door before firing six shots from inside the residence. The suspect was then seen leaving in a vehicle.
This crucial piece of evidence led police to a local car wash, where further surveillance footage showed the driver of the getaway vehicle, identified as 50-year-old Cheryl Batiste. Footage showed Batiste receiving a phone call from a payphone moments before picking up the alleged shooter and dropping him off at a location north of the crime scene. Based on this evidence, authorities were able to trace the vehicle back to Batiste, who was arrested two days later. Although the timestamps on the surveillance footage indicated that Batiste was not the individual who entered the home, he made several admissions regarding his involvement in the homicide following his arrest. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder, with his bond set at one million dollars.
While one arrest has been made, the individual believed to be the shooter remains at large, and the Ardmore Police Department's investigation continues. In the course of their investigation, authorities also sought a known associate of Petties, Jason Javon Franklin, for questioning. While police believe he may have information that could be helpful to the case, they have stated that he is not a suspect in her death. Franklin is wanted on an unrelated arrest warrant for failure to register as a convicted violent criminal, and the U.S. Marshals Service has offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to his apprehension. The police have indicated that they do not believe Petties' death was a random act of violence, but rather a targeted crime.
