On the evening of March 17, 1986, 58-year-old U.S. veteran Vernon Abdoo was walking home after leaving a local liquor store in Tulsa, Oklahoma. About 7:30 p.m., roughly a block from his house near 1600 N. Lewis, an assailant who stepped out of an older black and white or light-colored vehicle doused Abdoo with a flammable liquid and set him on fire. The attacker was seen laughing as he ignited a piece of paper and dropped it on him.

Abdoo suffered catastrophic burns over more than 90 percent of his body and was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition; he gave a brief statement saying he never saw his attacker and died the next day. Witnesses described the primary suspect as a slender Black male about 6 feet tall with short dark hair wearing dark clothing; some accounts mention a second man at the scene. No arrests have been announced and the case is unsolved.

If anyone knew Vernon, saw activity near 1600 N. Lewis that night, or has information about the vehicle or the men described, please come forward.