Police Investigate Homicide After Body Found In Guthrie Home

Chris McKinnon, News 9

GUTHRIE, Oklahoma -- A man is found dead and now authorities are looking for the person who killed 60-year-old Francis Maurice Byrd, and they are asking anyone who might know something to speak up.

12/11/2011 Related Story: Death Of 60-Year-Old Guthrie Man Ruled A Homicide

News 9 spoke with several people who live in the neighborhood, and they said everyone pretty much keeps to themselves. One woman said she didn't even know anyone was living in the house where Maurice Byrd was killed.

"I did not know him. A lot of people didn't know him. I talked to several people around here in the neighborhood and nobody knows him," neighbor Myrle Hudson said.

Agents with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation search the house where Byrd was murdered. Police found him Saturday when family members requested a welfare check after he missed a family meeting.

"As far as the house, never seen nobody come over there. I got to work, come in, I never really see traffic over there. I don't even know who's staying over there. It's kind of sad," Craig Tyson said.

Neighbors said Byrd must have moved in recently. Most hadn't met him yet.

"He seen him come out to the mailbox and that was it. I've never seen him. If I've seen him I didn't know it. I just didn't know it," Hudson said.

Hudson has lived in the neighborhood for 30 years. He never expected anything like this happen just a couple houses away.

"As far as I know, we have never had anything like that in the neighborhood. Never. Guthrie is kind of a quiet town," Hudson said.

The news of the murder shook the quiet neighborhood. They hope the killer is caught quickly so they don't have to worry anymore.

"I hope it is, you know. I don't want it to be nothing that's going to happen every day. Because I don't even know what I would do," Hudson said.

OSBI said they are following up on several credible leads Sunday. A spokeswoman could not discuss those leads citing the on-going investigation.

Authorities are also asking the public's help in this case. Anyone who saw Francis Maurice Byrd last Thursday or Friday, or has additional information that could assist the investigation is asked to call OSBI at (800)-522-8017.