In the winter of 2016, the day after Christmas, 38-year-old Kimberly Lyons-Anderson, a female resident of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was fatally shot. The incident occurred in the early morning hours of December 26th, near the intersection of Smith and Wilson streets, in the vicinity of an American Legion post in Okmulgee. At the time of the shooting, Lyons-Anderson was standing outside a party when an unknown individual or individuals began firing at the building from the street.
She was struck in the chest by the gunfire and succumbed to her injuries.
Investigators with the Okmulgee Police Department quickly launched a homicide investigation into the shooting. Early in the investigation, authorities stated their belief that Kimberly Lyons-Anderson was not the intended target of the gunfire. They suspect she was an innocent bystander caught in the violent act. The police interviewed over 50 people in connection with the case, gathering numerous names and stories, but struggled to identify a primary suspect. The lack of a cooperating eyewitness proved to be a significant hurdle in the early stages of the investigation.
In an effort to generate new leads, the Okmulgee Police Department announced a $5,000 reward for any information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Lyons-Anderson's death. Despite this incentive and the numerous interviews conducted, the case grew cold. As of late 2025, there have been no arrests made in the murder of Kimberly Lyons-Anderson, and no suspects have been publicly identified. Her family continues to await justice as the case remains an unsolved homicide.
