In the small community of Ahloso, just south of Ada, Oklahoma, a life was tragically cut short on February 8, 2021. Cole David Twilligear, a 25-year-old male, died at his home, leaving a void in the lives of his family and friends. Cole, who was born on October 18, 1995, in Liberal, Kansas, was known as a freelance handyman in the Ada area. His unexpected passing set in motion an investigation that would soon lead to an arrest in connection with his death.
The events of that fateful day
unfolded at a trailer park residence where Cole lived with his brother, Dalton Twilligear, and another man, Howard Wesley Tarver. According to reports, a physical altercation broke out between the two brothers. Pontotoc County sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the scene after Dalton Twilligear reported that his brother had been shot in the head and was not breathing.
The investigation, with assistance from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, pointed to Howard Wesley Tarver, who was 26 years old at the time, as the alleged shooter. Tarver reportedly told investigators that he intervened to separate the brothers during their fight. He claimed to have retrieved a firearm from his vehicle and, upon re-entering the residence and seeing Cole on top of Dalton, he fired the weapon, fatally wounding Cole.
Howard Wesley Tarver was arrested at the scene and subsequently charged with first-degree murder. He was held at the Pontotoc County Justice Center without bond as the legal proceedings against him commenced. The community was left to mourn the loss of a young man, with funeral services held for Cole on February 12, 2021, as his family began the difficult process of seeking justice.
