Volume 17 , Issue 30

1956 Unsolved Mystery On County Road Near Avard, Oklahoma

It was in The Kansas City Times, Kansas City, Missouri, dated 23 March 1956, that we found this article: "Death Is Puzzle." Coroner's Jury believed case of Mrs. Mildred Ann Reynolds was no accident. A further probe was called for. Flames in the car could have been result of incendiarism, was the verdict. assistant State Fire Marshal said blaze may have been helped.

Found on Newspapers.com

Alva, Ok., March 22 (1956) (AP) -- A coroner's jury ruled on 22 March 1956 that the death of Mrs. Mildred Ann Reynolds, college co-ed, in her burning car March 13 was not an accident.

The six jurors signed the verdict after two days of hearings. They determined that her death resulted from the fire and said, "We, the jury feel that said fire could very well have been the result of incendiarism."

Officers were asked to continue the investigation.

After Leaving College

Mrs. Reynolds, 22 year old senior student at Northwestern State college, was ofnd in her burning car shortly after she left the college, around noon, 13 March 1956. The car was two and a half miles south of Alva and about four miles from her home at Avard.

Since then state and local officers had failed to produce a workable clue. Testimony of numerous witnesses were recorded.

March 22, 1956 testimony included a statement by one state officer that he believed the fire had been "helped" and another by a state crime bureau agent that he could not say whether he thought the death was caused by violence or was accidental.

Kyle Moorehead, assistant state fire marshal, testified twice. Asked if he thought the fire had been helped, he replied, "Yes."

However, Ivan Gates, bureau agent, was noncommittal on the cause of death.

In Fine Health, Doctor Says

Dr. I. F. Stephenson, the student's personal physician, said she was in perfect health. A "ringing in her head," he said, could have made her slightly dizzy but would not have affected her driving to any major extent.

Stephenson testified Mildred came to him six days before her death, and complained of a ringing in her head. The doctor said he thought it might have been caused by a cold and prescribed exercises for treatment to relieve the condition.

R. D. Reynolds, her husband, who was the coach at the Avard school, said his only information into the death of his wife of ten months had come from he investigation.

Mr. Reynolds declined to name anyone who might have had malice toward her because the proceedings were being broadcast by a radio station.
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