Michael Binder

Michael Binder, a 53-year-old White man remembered by friends as kind-hearted, giving, and loyal, was killed during a robbery at his Tulsa, Oklahoma, home on July 27, 2019. The plan, according to authorities, was for a woman to set Binder up by making him think it was a date. That evening, a woman knocked on the door of his apartment at the Cascades at Southern Hills complex near 71st and Lewis and he let her in. Soon after, two male accomplices entered the apartment and ordered both Binder and the woman to get on the floor. Instead of complying, Binder called out for help and ran toward the front door. One of the men then shot him in the head. Officers arrived to find him deceased inside the apartment.

The investigation quickly gained momentum. On August 19, 2019, Leanna Marie Roacher of Sapulpa turned herself in to police. During an interview with Tulsa homicide detectives, Roacher admitted her involvement in the deadly robbery. She recounted being the woman who was let into Binder’s apartment before her accomplices entered to commit the crime. Following her confession, Roacher was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Investigators announced that they were seeking other individuals connected to the case.

Police identified three other suspects: Samuel Wayne Washington, Nicholas Gibson, and Ruth Blair. All four were ultimately charged with murder in connection with Michael Binder’s death. Investigators learned that Gibson and his common-law wife, Ruth Blair, had fled Tulsa immediately after the homicide, sparking a multi-state search.

The manhunt for the remaining fugitives led authorities to Springfield, Missouri, in September 2019. After a standoff at a local residence on September 24, law enforcement officers were able to arrest Ruth Blair. Nicholas Gibson, the fourth and final suspect, was not at the home and remained at large. The next day, however, officers in Springfield located Gibson in his vehicle and arrested him during a traffic stop without further incident. With the arrests of all four suspects, the investigation into the death of Michael Binder concluded in September 2019.