In a gravel parking lot outside a truck repair company in Catoosa, Oklahoma, a dispute between coworkers on May 30, 2017, escalated to a fatal conclusion. Cody Thurman, a 26-year-old White/Caucasian male, was shot at least three times, his life ending where he worked. The man identified as the suspect, 46-year-old Steven Northcutt, was a colleague of Thurman's.
Both men were residents of Catoosa and, according to authorities, had no prior history with law enforcement.
When police officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Thurman lying in the parking lot with fatal wounds. Northcutt reportedly surrendered without incident. He placed his weapon inside the building and emerged with his hands raised, complying with the officers' instructions. Despite his cooperation during the arrest, Northcutt declined to provide investigators with a statement regarding the events that led to the shooting. The motive behind the altercation that ended Thurman's life remained unclear to authorities.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation was called in to assist the Catoosa Police in the investigation. Following their initial inquiries, Northcutt was released from custody pending further investigation into the case. The community was left with few answers as to why the workplace disagreement turned deadly, forever altering the lives of both men and their families.
