Janice Marie Buono, a 29-year-old Native American mother of three, was last seen on New Year’s Day 2002 in Lawton, Oklahoma. She had been staying at the Sheridan Inn with a roommate, was struggling with drug addiction, and had recently received a cancer diagnosis; she told people she wanted to go home. She and her roommate separated that day and Janice was not seen alive again.

On February 23, 2002, Janice’s body was found in a pond under a bridge in rural Comanche County. An initial examination listed the cause of death as an overdose of methamphetamine and cocaine, but the circumstances surrounding her death prompted suspicion. Her case was noted alongside other deaths of women in the Lawton area around the same time, generating concern about a possible serial killer.

No arrests have been made in direct connection with Janice’s death. Her children were raised by their grandmother, and the investigation has produced few significant leads. Did anyone in or around Lawton in early 2002 have information about Janice’s movements or the Sheridan Inn that could help the case?