In the late summer of 2016, the life of 19-year-old Marquisha Walker was tragically cut short in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A Black female, her story is a harrowing account of domestic violence that ended in her murder. On August 26, 2016, a devastating discovery was made at the Bradford Apartments in north Tulsa – Marquisha's body was found discarded in a dumpster. The chain of events leading to this grim finding began with a missing person report filed by her boyfriend, Demond Walker.
In a strange turn, it was Demond himself who later contacted the police again, claiming to have found her body.
The investigation into Marquisha's death quickly zeroed in on the man who had reported her missing. Police determined that she had been murdered, and evidence found within Demond Walker's apartment pointed to it being the scene of the crime. Marquisha was last seen alive in his residence. During their search, investigators uncovered proof that the murder had occurred inside the apartment and also recovered the murder weapon from the property. The details that emerged were brutal: Marquisha had been shot in the head, her body then wrapped in a blanket before being disposed of in the dumpster. Her death marked the 46th homicide in Tulsa that year.
In the wake of the investigation, Demond Walker was arrested and faced a charge of first-degree murder for the death of his girlfriend. As the case progressed through the legal system, the charge was amended to second-degree murder. Demond Walker ultimately pleaded guilty to this lesser charge. He was subsequently sentenced to forty years in the custody of the Department of Corrections for his role in the violent end to Marquisha Walker's young life. Allegations also surfaced that her best friend, Berry Smith, may have been involved in setting her up, adding another layer of betrayal to the tragic circumstances of her death.
