On February 9, 1979, Roxie Seward, 62, and her husband John were found dead in the basement of a relative’s home in Muskogee, Oklahoma after encountering a burglary in progress. Roxie had suffered four shotgun wounds at very close range; John had been killed by a single shot to the back of his head. Their bodies were discovered at about 4:15 p.m. that day.

A suspect was identified the same day when Charles Troy Coleman was stopped for traffic violations. A search of the camper pickup he was driving turned up items taken from the house, including the Sewards’ wallets and packages of frozen meat, linking him to the scene. Coleman was charged with both killings and escaped from the Muskogee County jail on April 23, 1979, while awaiting trial; he fled the state and was later recaptured. He was convicted of first-degree murder in John Seward’s death and sentenced to death.

Are there memories or information from Muskogee residents who knew the Sewards or observed events around February 9, 1979, that could add context to what happened?