Woman Found Beaten To Death In Cushing Alley Identified

CUSHING, Oklahoma -- A woman found beaten to death in a Cushing alley Friday morning has been identified.

The State Medical Examiner's Office identified the woman as Cushing resident Ava M. King, 45. The cause of death was blunt force trauma.

Authorities later arrested 22-year-old Benjamin Littlesun in connection to her murder Friday evening.

12/02/2011 Related Story: Man Arrested In Cushing Woman's Murder

King was found barely alive in an alleyway behind the Cushing Tag Agency. She later died at a Cushing hospital.

"Ava was a mother, grandmother, and daughter. Losing someone in such a violent manner is just tragic," said Cushing Police Chief Terry Brannon.

Littlesun was booked into the Payne County Jail on the murder complaint.