 FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION |
| 3301 West Memorial Road • Oklahoma City, OK 73134 • 405-290-7770 • Fax: 405-290-3885 |
IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Date: February 6, 2007
Contact: Gary Johnson, (405) 290-3678
The following information was gathered from witnesses including the 10 year-old victim:
At approximately 6:30 pm on Thursday, January 18, 2007, an unidentified individual (suspect) lured Marissa Marie Graham, age 10, into a white vehicle, described as a sedan similar to but not specifically identified as a Chevrolet Cavalier, by offering her a donation for a fund-raiser project for which she was a participant. Graham was subsequently abducted by the suspect near the 200 block of North Third Street in Texhoma.
The suspect is described as a white male, 20-30 years of age, wearing jeans and a blue t-shirt with Princeton printed on the front in orange letters. At some point during the abduction, the suspect placed a red hooded sweatshirt over the t-shirt.
Graham was initially taken to Goodwell, Oklahoma, where the suspect momentarily stopped by a grain elevator. At this point, the suspect is believed to have engaged in a cell phone conversation with an unknown person wherein the suspect inquired as to the media coverage and police response to the abduction. The suspect then drove around but not in the town of Guymon, and then back towards Texhoma, but drove an alternate route around the town. This travel in and around the back roads near Texhoma, as well as the cell phone conversation, leads investigators to believe the suspect has more than a passing familiarity and connection with the Texhoma area. The suspect thereafter drove Graham into Texas and is believed to have stopped at a convenience store in Dumas, Texas. From there, the suspect transported Graham to Amarillo and is believed to have exited off Highway 287 in North Amarillo, eventually driving to a brick house with a full size black (pickup) truck backed to the entrance of an open garage in the vicinity of Broadway Street. Graham was forced to remain inside the vehicle for several minutes while the suspect went into the residence. Investigators consider these facts important to the investigation in that it may indicate a hesitancy by the suspect to reveal his recent actions to the residents of the home. Upon leaving this brick house with the black truck, the suspect drove Graham to a workshop in an isolated area, where he bound her hands with duct tape and forced her into the trunk of the white vehicle.
The suspect then transported Graham to Clovis, New Mexico, where she was held at a local residence. Prior to exiting the trunk, a hood was placed over Graham's face as she was taken inside the home. Once inside, Graham was held for a period of time inside a closet. Possible identifiers for this home are the presence of dogs barking loudly either in the backyard of the residence or in an area nearby, and a black cat with white paws inside the residence whom the suspect identified by the name of “Whiskers”. Given the suspect's inclination to conceal both the location of the home and much of the home's contents, and his apparent relaxed manner while inside the home, investigators believe there may be a strong connection between the suspect and this residence in Clovis.
Graham was later placed in the back of a second vehicle, which was located in the garage of the Clovis residence. This vehicle is described as possibly being a hatchback or sports utility vehicle, either black or purple in color. Subsequently, the suspect is believed to have driven around the Clovis area, where he visited a bank and then drove to a Dairy Queen where he purchased food for Graham and himself.
During the early afternoon of Friday, January 19, 2007, the suspect drove to an Allsup's convenience store in Clovis, where he parked by the side of the building. The suspect activated the automatic latch for the vehicle's rear door and let graham out of the vehicle. Graham exited the back of the vehicle and walked inside the store. She notified store employees, who immediately called authorities.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, Texas County Sheriff’s Office, Texhoma Police Department, Texas County District Attorney’s Office, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Guymon Police Department, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and Clovis Police Department.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and/or conviction of the individual or individuals responsible for the kidnaping of Marissa Graham.
Anyone with information regarding the kidnaping is asked to contact the Oklahoma City Division of the FBI at (405) 290-7770 (24 hour number). You may remain anonymous. Collect calls will be accepted.