Verdigris Triple Homicide Sparks Legislation To Prevent Another Tragedy

Lawmakers are working to change state law after a Verdigris mother killed her three children and herself, during a supervised custody visit.

Now lawmakers at the Capitol are working to change state law, to prevent another tragedy like this.

“The goal of this bill is to prevent a tragedy,” said state Rep. Mark Lepak, (R-Claremore).

In July 2023, three young children, Billy, Noe, and Byrce, were murdered by their mother in a Verdigris home before she turned the gun on herself. “Everyone in the community and honestly nationally is aware of the incident that happened in Verdigris last July,” said state Sen. Ally Seifried, (R-Claremore).

The tragedy happened during a supervised custody visit. The mother, Brandi McCaslin, had locked the supervisor in the garage and fatally shot her children and herself in a bedroom in the home. “Lots of little things that can add up to a tragedy like this,” said Lepak.

Police say McCaslin struggled with her mental health, and law enforcement was called to the home multiple times before the July incident. 

The supervisor had struggles of their own, and allegedly would not have passed a background check due to prior incidents. 

During a custody battle, the McCaslin and the fathers of two of the children agreed to have a third-party supervisor there during custody visits. Because the supervisor was mutually agreed upon, they did not require a court-ordered background check to care for the children. “Probably couldn't have been prevented, but there were a lot of red flags that popped up in this timeline,” said Lepak.

Now, Seifried and Lepack are working to change state law, to prevent another tragedy like this. “If two parents agree to do a third party volunteer for supervised visitation, the judge should have all the background on that volunteer,” said Seifried. 

Senate Bill 1756 requires those supervisors to have a background check from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, an affidavit saying they are not alcohol or drug dependent, and that they don’t live with a sex offender. 

It also requires visitations be in a professional setting, if the parent has a history of mental health problems. “Our point of reference was making sure the kids were safe,” said Seifried.

The bill passed unanimously out of the House judiciary committee today and will now head to the House floor.