Rebecca Bryan stands during jury selection. (Photo by Glen Miller)

By Traci Chapman

Prosecutors in the Rebecca Bryan first-degree murder trial closed their case with a firearms expert who identified the murder weapon.

Gordon Robertson worked for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation’s firearms unit for 13 years and was responsible for testing gun-related evidence found at the scene of Keith Bryan’s September 2011 death. Keith Bryan’s wife, Rebecca Bryan, stands accused of murder and faces life in prison, with or without the possibility of parole, if convicted. Investigators with Mustang Police Department and OSBI have testified while they initially believed Rebecca Bryan’s story an intruder entered the couple’s home and shot her husband, a discovery in the utility room changed the focus of the investigation.

It was in a dryer in the couple’s Mustang home OSBI Agent Martin Solorzano testified he found a Ruger LCP 380 semi-automatic gun, spent shell casing and right-handed rubber glove, all wrapped in a fireman’s throw blanket.

Robertson performed tests on the gun, casing and the bullet that passed through Keith Bryan’s head and said he was able to conclusively give a ruling about those items.

“Projectile was fired from this firearm and casing was fired in this firearm,” Robertson testified.

“Can you exclude this from any other gun firing it,” Assistant District Attorney Paul Hesse asked.

“That’s correct,” he responded.

Robertson testified all gun barrels are unique, like DNA or fingerprints. That would include a gun manufactured at the same time in the same place, he said.

That information was significant in the Bryan case, where defense attorney Gary James has inferred a different gun could be the murder weapon. Although the gun found in the dryer matched a box with the same serial number between the mattress and box springs in the master bedroom, James has contended there is a mystery concerning a second gun that could play a part in Keith Bryan’s death.

Keith and Rebecca Bryan’s son, Kent Bryan, took the stand Wednesday, testifying about a Ruger LCP 380 gun given to him by his grandfather for self-protection, at his father’s request. It has not been disputed Keith Bryan and his father, Kenneth Bryan, purchased the two firearms at H&H Gun Range the same day. Kent Bryan testified the gun given to him was stolen in April 2011.

James told jurors the Mustang Police Department “refused” to investigate the gun theft at Kent Bryan’s home and named a local juvenile as a possible suspect in the alleged crime. Although the gun was stolen, Kent Bryan testified the box it came in was not – a box that included a test casing fired by the gun’s manufacturer.

Robertson on Thursday testified he tested that casing, in addition to those found in the dryer and found the gun that shot it conclusively did not fire the round that killed Keith Bryan. He said a second OSBI firearms expert confirmed his findings on all of the Bryan tests.

Robertson also testified about tests he performed on the throw blanket found in the couple’s utility room. Witness Debbi Proctor told jurors the throw was usually on the couch in the Bryan living room, where Keith Bryan was shot. Robertson said he was asked to examine four holes in the blanket to determine what happened to it and if it played a role in the shooting, and he confirmed that hypothesis.

“If it was one gunshot, it was like the blanket was folded in fourths,” Robertson said. “I examined all four holes and there was at least some gunpowder around each of the four holes.”

James has questioned several prosecution witnesses about “blow-back,” where blood can be thrown back toward the shooter when an individual is shot. The defense attorney has questioned the lack of blow-back at the scene and grilled investigators about tests they did not perform to check for that evidence. Robertson testified the blanket was a major reason there would not be a great deal of that type of evidence in Keith Bryan’s shooting.

“Typically you don’t have that if you know there was an intervening object between the gun and the victim,” Robertson said during James’ cross-examination.

Robertson’s testimony followed several OSBI experts and investigators who said they did not test certain items – actions which James said proved they looked only at Rebecca Bryan as the killer. That culminated in an exchange between James and OSBI crime scene investigator Francia Thompson.

As she walked through evidence collected at the Bryans’ Mustang home during the early hours of Sept. 21, 2011, Thompson explained how the agency conducted its search of the site. Hesse asked Thompson to outline items found in the Bryans’ living and utility rooms, as well as the couple’s master bedroom.

Thompson spoke about Solorzano’s discovery of the items in the dryer, a development she said posed questions about Bryan’s story.

“Would you agree you all made the assumption Becky Bryan was a liar,” James said, his voice rising.

“She had given the same story, over and over,” Thompson responded. “When we collected the items in the dyer, it seemed her story was not truthful.”

James questioned Solorzano and Thompson, as well as OSBI Agent Shawn Wright, about investigators’ failure to fingerprint the dryer where the gun and other items were found. In his opening statement, James criticized several aspects of investigators’ handling of the case, saying they “rushed to judgment” after learning Rebecca Bryan committed adultery and pursued four different men the day before – and day of – Keith Bryan’s murder.

The 911 calls made by Bryan and investigators’ testimony confirmed the Mustang woman said the intruder came in and left the couple’s home through a door leading to the garage. Bryan said she followed the intruder far enough into the garage to get a description of a small, dark-colored truck he drove away from the residence.

Those statements were the reason investigators did not fingerprint the dryer, Thompson and Wright testified. Because Bryan said the intruder went directly out the garage door without stopping, finding what would later be determined to be the murder weapon in the utility room gave Thompson doubts, she said.

“At the time we believed what she said was true,” Thompson testified. “We knew that she had given us a statement that he hadn’t gone anywhere else – what he looked like, what he said to her.

“She never deviated on her statement, she was very specific,” she said. “There was no reason to believe he went anywhere else, based on her statements.”

James said investigators came to a “rush to judgment” after learning about Bryan’s adulterous activities and demeanor around the time of the shooting. He said in opening statements that was exemplified by a witness who went to the Mustang Police Department two days after Keith Bryan was shot – a witness James said saw a vehicle that matched the get-away truck described to investigators by Bryan.

Under cross-examination, Wright said J.W. Jones was interviewed by Thompson in September 2011. He confirmed statements by James that Thompson did not print her report until April 2013.

“Why would Francia wait until less than a month before trial to come forward with that information,” James asked Wright.

“Simple oversight on her part,” Wright replied.

Thompson herself explained the omission, saying she discovered she had not typed up her notes concerning the interview when she began preparing for trial in early April. Thompson testified as soon as she realized she made a mistake, she advised both Wright and Hesse.

“It was a mistake on my part, and as soon as I realized it I told everyone,” she said.

Hesse confirmed with Thompson she advised others about the mistake, not that it had been discovered by someone else.

“Yes, I am the one who told them,” Thompson said.

On Friday, the defense was set to begin its case. Court officials said James listed 60 witnesses, of which he could call “six or 60.” Canadian County District Court Judge Gary Miller apologized to jurors about the length of the trial, which he initially estimated at a week. The trial was heading into its 10^th day on Friday.

“In 18 years on the bench, I’ve never been this far off on a time estimate,” he told jurors.

Pictured are some of the painted trash cans. (Photo by Emily Kindiger)

 By Emily Kindiger

After weeks of work, El Reno High School art students revealed their masterpieces during the Patriotic Trash Can Dedication on Tuesday. The effort was promoted by the Chamber of Commerce.

Pictured are some of the EHS art students which worked on the designs. (Photo by Emily Kindiger)

Superintendent Craig McVay thanked the 44 students in Kathy Bass’ art class, who painted 23 trash cans with the theme of support and patriotism for the troops. McVay said his two sons are in the military and he was very thankful for the students’ hard work, patriotic efforts and dedication.

Principal Matt Goucher thanked Bass and the students for their efforts and artistry, saying these will help “beautify our community.”

Chamber of Commerce Director Karen Nance gave special mention to Curtis Blanc, Tony Rivera, Ross True Value, David Griesel, Judy and Wayne Albrecht, McDonald’s, El Reno Bowl and others for their donations and efforts.

“What a great community we live in …where we can do the red, white and blue,” Nance said, thanking Bass, who “worked like a horse” to make this happen.

Heaston Church pastor and Air Force chaplain Justin Racca addressed the art students, telling them what the United States flag means to him and how proud he is of the freedoms Americans have.

Following the ceremony, OEMA manager David Griesel worked with crews to set the trash cans up at downtown locations.

Students with their artwork. (Photo by Emily Kindiger)

Elsie Sales

Graveside services for Elsie Juanita Sales of El Reno were held Friday at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Oklahoma City with Rev. Lynn Ice officiating. Services were under direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.
Mrs. Sales died May 14 in Oklahoma City. She was born April 3, 1925, in Eufaula. She graduated from Wolf High School. She was employed at Douglas during World War II as a riveter and at Auto Lite Battery Company in Oklahoma City. Mrs. Sales also served as an assistant to her husband in his ministry at the Southgate Pentecostal Holiness Church in Oklahoma City. She moved to El Reno five years ago and resided at St. Katharine Drexel Retirement Center.
She is survived by a son, John Philip Sales Jr. of El Reno; a daughter, Connie Player of Greenville, Pa.; sisters, Pat Gentry of Holdenville and Barbara Aldridge of Shawnee; a brother, Eley Eggar of Watonga; seven grandchildren
and 14 great-grandchildren.

Christopher was born Sept. 16, 1973, in El Reno, the son of Merle Mowdy and Linda Mowdy, both of Yukon. Christopher and Kim have been married for 11 years. Christopher was a member of Discovery Church in Yukon. He enjoyed playing golf, riding his motorcycle and spending time with his family. He served as an exterminator for the past 22 years.

He is survived by his wife, Kim Mowdy of Yukon; children, Bracen Frost, 16, Lauren Mowdy, 12, and Kale Mowdy, 6, all of the home; his father, Merle Mowdy of Yukon, and mother, Linda Mowdy of Yukon; brother, Greg Mowdy of El Reno; grandparents, James (Jim) Russell and Billie Frost; father and mother-in-law, Raleigh and Janice Frost of Oklahoma City; and sister-in-law, Melissa Frost of Yukon.

A memorial service for family and friends was held Thursday, May 16 at Discovery Church in Yukon.

Donations can be made to the family at P.O. Box 850601, Yukon, Okla. 73085.

Carrie Hamilton

Wake services for Carrie Sue Hamilton were held Friday at the Concho Community Center. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 18 at the Concho Community Center with Revs. Waylan Upchego and Gerald Panana officiating. Burial will be in the Cantonment Cemetery. Services are under direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.

Carrie died May 13 at her home in El Reno. She was born Jan. 3, 1975, in Clinton, and had lived most of her life in El Reno and Oklahoma City.

She is survived by her father and stepmother, Francis and Lydia Hamilton of the home; a daughter, Desiree’ Hamilton of the home; brothers, LaForce Hamilton, Will Hamilton and Justin Hamilton, all of El Reno, and Francis Keith Hamilton Jr. of Atoka; sisters, Leah Hamilton and Gracie Hamilton, both of El Reno, and Fawn Tsatigh and Davida Tsatigh, both of Oklahoma City.

Lyle Edwards

Memorial services for Lyle Allen Edwards of El Reno were held Friday, May 17, 2013, at First Baptist Church with Rev. Charlie Blount officiating. Private interment of the cremains will be held at a later date by his family.

Mr. Edwards passed away on Tuesday, May 14, 2013, in his home. He was born Oct. 13, 1961, in Oklahoma City. Lyle came to El Reno in 1977 and had resided here since. He was a 1981 graduate of El Reno High School. Lyle mowed lawns all around town, and he worked in maintenance for Walmart. He was a member of the FFA and First Baptist Church. Lyle’s hobbies were collecting Matchbox cars, putting model cars together and going to car shows and car races.

Lyle was preceded in death by his mother, Kathryn A. Edwards.

Survivors include his father, John R. Edwards of the home; two sisters, Susan Ronspiez and husband, Kenneth of El Reno and Billie Jo Elliott and husband, Kevin of Hinton; and eight nieces and nephews.

The family suggests memorials be made to the First Baptist Church Building Fund in memory of Lyle Edwards, 401 S. Bickford, El Reno, Okla. 73036.

Gabriel Boyd

A memorial service for Gabriel Alexander Boyd will be held at 1 p.m. Monday at the Fresh Anointing Pentecostal Church. Services are under direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.

Gabriel was born Nov. 15, 2012, in Yukon. He died May 12, 2013, at Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City.
Gabriel is survived by his parents, Ebbie Wilborn Jr. and Kandace Boyd; siblings, Manuel Diaz Jr., Ebbie Dee Wilborn III, Kameron and Karrington Wilborn and twin sister, Angelique Christine Boyd Wilborn; and maternal grandparents, Faye and Freddie Fuston Sr.

Taylor Schwerdtfeger points out a foot over the starting line on sprint drills last week during EHS’ first week of spring practices. (Photo by Glen Miller)

By Glen Miller

When players messed up on a cadence for jumping jacks or lined up over the starting stripe for wind sprints, new El Reno High School head football coach Taylor Schwerdtfeger was quick to provide some stern but constructive criticism.

“How can we expect to beat Carl Albert if we cannot do the little things right out here,” said Schwerdtfeger.

Cal Baker throws a pass during QB drills. (Photo by Glen Miller)

The attention to details, even the smallest of small, marked the first day and a half of spring drills. The Indians were chased off the practice field by rain on Wednesday after getting a full two-hour session the day before.

“I’m a huge advocate of doing the little things right all the time. In my experience in this profession, when it comes down to the fourth quarter and you have to go 95 yards in two minutes to win, and you have not been consistent in doing the little things right all the time, you’re not giving yourself the best chance of doing it in the fourth period.

“When you are consistent in doing the little things right, then you are going to win those games,” said Schwerdtfeger.

Forty-two players, currently freshmen through juniors, donned helmets and shorts for the first of the 10-day spring session allotted to teams by the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association.

“We picked up three more (players) on Wednesday and hopefully they will all stay out,” said Schwerdtfeger.

Players were submerged quickly into Schwerdtfeger’s philosophy of an up-tempo approach to not only football games but practices. The team huddle after opening calisthenics broke with EHS’ new coach sprinting 75 yards to the opposite end of the field to work with quarterback hopefuls.

“I can tell the kids have responded really well to my staff’s mentality of high energy practices and high energy reps. We like to play with an aggressive mentality on both sides of the ball and it’s something kids understand about this game.

“They want them to be passionate about the team, the game and the community. Had one coach tell me they (kids) have been louder their first day with drills than they were all last year,” said Schwerdtfeger.

Veterans agree that changes are on the immediate horizon under their new skipper.

Bailey Denny snags a high pass during drills. (Photo by Glen Miller)

“It has been a little different. This year we are going to be really disciplined,” said junior Justin Brown. “The little things like your foot on the line are things we can’t do.”

Brown said he can tell a difference in attitude as well.

“He is happy to be out here and we are too,” said Brown. “We’ve got good numbers but it’s just the first day, so hopefully we can get more people out here. When people see that we are going to be doing something great, they will want to be a part of it.”

Players went through station drills before gathering for team reps, with Schwerdtfeger concentrating on offense for the first four days of spring.

“It’s still too early to make an assessment of what I think we can do or where we should be. Right now, it’s a big learning curve for them to figure out the offense, so we are going to spend three days in a row on offense and start on defense next week. I didn’t want to throw too much at them at one time, that would be detrimental to their learning process,” said Schwerdtfeger.

Players understand there is more work to be done this spring, such as learning different terminology, than in past seasons.

“It’s pretty much the same thing, but he (Schwerdtfeger) is telling us to do some different things. There’s been no major overhauls, but I think we can all pick it up pretty quickly,” said Brown.

Schwerdtfeger says the time spent on learning his terminology this spring is a vital stepping stone.

“It’s huge because our offense will be no huddle. You will never see us huddle unless it’s a situation where it’s needed. Everything we do is based on communication from sideline to the field and that has to be done from verbiage and hand signals.

“It’s a completely new language and I can tell you after one and a half days, I can see the light starting to come on and the staff can see it too,” said Schwerdtfeger.

Jesse Gorbet takes a handoff. (Photo by Glen Miller)

While El Reno had run versions of the spread offense the past five seasons under former head coaches Tom Cobble and Shawn Mason, Schwerdtfeger says his playbook has not crossed paths with previous EHS offensive schemes.

“We have not run into anything they have done in the past yet but I’m sure we will and once we do, that will help. Everyone does things different, so if they did run counter in the past it will not be the way I run it. It may look like we are out there in the same sets, but the philosophy will not be the same.

“We are trying to introduce as many things as we can and I’ve been impressed with the way the kids have come in here with blank minds and are soaking it all up. That’s what I want,” said Schwerdtfeger.

El Reno’s Julian Arvizu was one of three EHS players named to the all-state rosters. (Photo by Glen Miller)

By Glen Miller

While El Reno High School’s soccer teams produced only one playoff appearance, the play of both squads during the regular season grabbed the attention of voters for postseason honors.

El Reno had three players named to the 2013 Oklahoma Soccer Coaches Association’s All-State teams, while two more were named honorable mention.

Kandi Hughart

Three other underclassmen earned spots on the 2013 All-District 5A-2 squad.

Earning All-State honors for the boys was senior Julian Arvizu, while the El Reno girls placed seniors Kandi Hughart and Jentri Thompson on the All-State team.

Seniors Emma Meyer and Edith Torres were named All-State honorable mention.

Arvizu was a three-year starter for El Reno and patrolled the defensive end of the field for most of the season. He did log 11 shots on goal, while scoring three times during overtime shootouts.

Hughart and Thompson were both defensive specialists for El Reno, but did get into the offensive mix throughout the course of the season. Hughart closed with eight shots on goal, while Thompson had three shot attempts and one shootout goal.

Jentri Thompson

Torres closed the season with four shots, while Meyer had five shots and one goal during early-season play.

The three earning All-District honors were juniors Amber Graham and Nicholas Ramirez and sophomore goalkeeper Daniel Rosas.

Graham was the spark plug for the El Reno offense in 2013, logging 69 shots on goal, with only one match with no shot attempts. She averaged three or more shots on goal per outing.

Graham logged a trio of hat tricks (three goals in one game) on the season and closed with 19 goals and one assist. Six times she scored two or more goals.

Ramirez ended the season with 19 shots on goal, four of those finding their way between the posts, as well as three assists.

Rosas was impressive in a tough district, posting five shutouts on the season and 121 total saves. He logged six or more saves in 13 matches, four of those outings ending in double-digit saves.

Amber Graham

Tyler Iago throws a pitch in a game earlier this season. (Photo by Glen Miller)

By Glen Miller

Several key figures in Redlands Community College’s rise to the upper echelon of the Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference standings have been honored with spots on the 2013 NJCAA All-Region 2, Division 2 Baseball Team.

The Cougars, who closed the season with a 37-15 record and a runner-up finish in the Division 2 Championship, placed four on the squad. Three of those players went on to earn nominations for the NJCAA “Gold Glove” awards.

Pitchers Ryan Lenaburg and Tyler Iago were named to the squad, while second baseman Petr Sila and outfielder Alex Harris were selected to the squad at their positions.

Petr Sila

Sila, Harris and Lenaburg earned Gold Glove nominations from the Region 2 selection committee.

Lenaburg, a sophomore right-hander from Sentinel, made 10 starts and played in 15 games total for the Cougars, posting a team-best 11-1 record.

He threw a total of 69 1/3 innings, second highest on the staff, allowing 25 runs (19 earned) off 47 hits for an earned run average of 2.47. Out of the 47 hits allowed, opposing batters logged eight doubles and five homers off Lenaburg – who closed the season with 79 strikeouts and 31 walks allowed.

Lenaburg logged two put-outs and 13 assists in 15 chances for a fielding percentage of .938.

Iago, a sophomore right-hander from Newcastle, sported an 8-2 record in 14 appearances – 12 of those starts. He threw a team-leading 71 innings, allowing 18 runs (16 earned) off 55 hits leading to a team-best 2.03 ERA among those throwing 24 or more innings.

Opposing batters logged seven doubles and four homers off Iago, who closed with 70 strikeouts compared to 20 walks.

Iago logged five put-outs and 13 assists in 19 chances for a fielding percentage of .947.

Harris, a sophomore from Plano, Texas, closed the season with a .983 fielding percentage after logging 55 put-outs and three assists in 59 chances.

He started in 47 games and made 142 plate appearances, resulting in 48 hits and 40 runs scored, leading to a .338 batting average. Among his hits were 13 doubles, two triples and a team-leading seven home runs. Harris carried a .606 slugging percentage and a .475 on-base mark, picking up 14 stolen bases in 17 attempts.

Harris drew 31 walks and struck out 25 times.

Sila, a sophomore from Prague, Czech Republic, started in 47 of the 49 games played this season. Batting from the left side, he logged 57 hits and 43 runs in 153 trips to the plate for a .373 batting average.

He was third on the team in home runs with three, tied for the lead in triples with three and logged 10 doubles – third best for the Cougars. Sila drew 25 walks but struck out 33 times. He sported a .536 slugging and .478 on-base percentage and logged 18 stolen bases in 24 attempts.

In the field, Sila logged 75 put-outs and 88 assists in 175 chances for a .931 fielding percentage, and took part in 15 double plays on the year.