In the quiet, rural landscape of Henryetta, Oklahoma, a grim discovery on May 1, 2023, unraveled a story of manipulation and devastating violence that ended the life of 35-year-old Holly Guess and six others, including her three children. The horrific event unfolded on a sprawling property where Holly lived with her husband, 39-year-old Jesse McFadden, a man with a dark past that was largely concealed from those who should have feared him most.
Holly's children, 17-year-old Rylee Allen,
15-year-old Michael Mayo, and 13-year-old Tiffany Guess, were all victims of the massacre that police believe was carried out by McFadden before he took his own life. The tragedy was compounded by the deaths of two of Tiffany's friends, 14-year-old Ivy Webster and 16-year-old Brittany Brewer, who were at the residence for a sleepover. An Amber Alert had been issued for the two visiting girls when they failed to return home, a desperate search that ultimately led investigators to the horrific scene.
The investigation, led by the Okmulgee County Sheriff's Office and later involving the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, determined that all the victims, including Holly, died from gunshot wounds to the head. Holly herself had sustained three gunshot wounds. Authorities believe that Jesse McFadden was the sole perpetrator of the killings, turning the gun on himself after murdering his family and their young guests. The handgun used in the commission of these crimes was a nine-millimeter that had been purchased by Holly the previous year. The bodies were discovered in different locations on the large property, leading police to suspect the crime scene had been staged.
McFadden was a convicted rapist who had been released from prison in 2020 after serving 17 years of a 20-year sentence. He was scheduled to appear in court on the very day the bodies were discovered to face charges of soliciting a minor and possession of child pornography. According to Holly's mother, Janette Mayo, McFadden was a controlling and manipulative figure who had 'fed her a ton of lies.' While Holly’s family was aware of his criminal history, it is believed she was deceived by him. The motive for the horrific act remains officially unknown, leaving a community to grapple with the senseless loss of seven lives.
