#Sex offender among seven found dead in Oklahoma kept family 'under lock and key': Live updates

HENRYETTA, Okla. – The convicted rapist who was among the seven people found dead at his home in rural Oklahoma hid his criminal past until recent months and kept his family “basically under lock and key,” his mother-in-law said Tuesday.

Jesse McFadden, 39, was due in court for a different sex offense Monday, the day his body was found along with those of his wife, her three teenage children and two visiting teens.

“My daughter loved her children and yes she married the man who killed them but she was fooled by his charm,” Janette Mayo, 59, of Westville, said in a Facebook post.

She told The Associated Press the sheriff’s office notified her late Monday that among the victims were her daughter, Holly Guess, 35, and her grandchildren, Rylee Elizabeth Allen, 17; Michael James Mayo, 15; and Tiffany Dore Guess, 13.  Mayo said the sheriff’s office told her they had been shot to death.

Okmulgee County Sheriff Eddy Rice said the other bodies found near the town of Henryetta were believed to include those of Ivy Webster, 14, and Brittany Brewer, 16, along with McFadden, the felon with whom authorities said the teens had been traveling. Janette Mayo said both were close friends with Tiffany Guess and were spending the weekend with the family.

Mayo said it wasn’t until a few months ago the family learned of McFadden’s criminal history. He was on the state’s sex offender registry after being convicted of first-degree rape in 2003 and released in October 2020. Court records show McFadden was scheduled to appear in court Monday for the start of a jury trial on charges of soliciting sexual conduct with a minor and possession of child pornography.

“He lied to my daughter, and he convinced her it was all just a huge mistake,” Mayo told AP by phone Tuesday. “He was very standoffish, generally very quiet, but he kept my daughter and the kids basically under lock and key. He had to know where they were at all times, which sent red flags up.”

Neither Rice’s office nor the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has said who was responsible for the deaths.

Webster and Brewer were last in contact with family members Sunday morning. An Amber Alert for them had said they were seen traveling with McFadden. No cause of death and few other details were released.

Developments:

∙ The local school district said it was mourning the loss of several students but held classes Tuesday.

∙ The bodies were found during a search outside Henryetta, a town of about 6,000 people 90 miles east of Oklahoma City.

Investigators hope to unravel mystery

Rice said his team was following leads to determine what led to the deaths. Webster’s mother, Ashleigh Webster, said in a Facebook post early Monday that Ivy had been due home at around 5 p.m. Sunday from a trip to McAlester with a friend. She later posted that the girls were with McFadden. McAlester is about 40 miles south of Henryetta.

Justin and Ashleigh Webster told The Oklahoman, part of the USA TODAY Network, that their daughter was at a sleepover Saturday night with her best friend Tiffany Guess. The Websters live about a mile down the road from the property where McFadden lived and the bodies were found. The Websters said sleepovers were a regular occurrence between the girls, who had been friends for years.

“He wanted to hurt the people that he loved most,” Justin Webster said. “And our daughter was best friends with Tiffany, his daughter. They were inseparable, they did everything together. And I think he just wanted to act out at the world and take as many as he possibly can.”

Father of victim mourns burying daughter

Brittany’s father, Nathan Brewer, spoke at a vigil Monday night, telling hundreds of people, “It’s just a parent’s worst nightmare, and I’m living it.”

He said his daughter had aspired to be a teacher or a veterinarian. She was supposed to compete in a beauty pageant in July.

“I am just lost,” he said. “I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d be burying my own daughter.”

Henryetta schools mourn loss of students

Henryetta Public Schools issued a statement to students and parents “grieving over the tragedy of the loss of several students.” Classes were being held Tuesday, an “extremely difficult” day, to ensure that students had access to grief counseling and the support of faculty and friends.

“We will have mental health professionals & faith-based clergy on hand, but we understand if you feel it is more appropriate to keep your student at home,” the statement said. “Please continue to keep these families in your thoughts and prayers.”

Who is Jesse McFadden?

Oklahoma Department of Corrections prison records show McFadden was convicted of first-degree rape 20 years ago and released in October 2020. In Oklahoma, first-degree rape is considered an “85%” crime, meaning offenders must serve at least 85% of their sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

McFadden failed to appear in Muskogee County District Court on Monday for his trial on two sex charges and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.

Contributing: Josh Dulaney, Nate Chute and Jessie Christopher Smith, The Oklahoman; The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bodies found in Oklahoma: Live updates after 7 found dead in Henryetta

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