Ashley Tobey, 32, was shot and killed on the morning of January 15, 2018, in the parking lot of an east Tulsa QuikTrip. Investigators described the encounter as an escalation of a petty argument; Tobey, unarmed, was shot from about 15 feet with a sawed-off shotgun in a public place.

Tulsa homicide detectives arrested 23-year-old Ty Austin Rutledge within hours; authorities reported he had a history of drug-related offenses and associations with criminal groups in other parts of the state. Rutledge was in custody awaiting a preliminary hearing when he was found unresponsive in his Tulsa County Jail cell on May 19, 2018 with a towel wrapped tightly around his neck and was pronounced dead at the scene. Evidence in the investigation of his death pointed toward suicide.

The criminal case ended with Rutledge’s death, leaving unanswered questions for Tobey’s family and friends. If anyone has information about what happened that morning at the QuikTrip or knew Ashley, please share what you know.