Autopsy: Holly Cantrell's cause of death undetermined
Oct. 19—Forensic reports from the state's medical examiner said Holly Cantrell's skeletal remains showed evidence of a "traumatic" injury to her head — but a cause of death could not be made.
The Oklahoma Attorney General's Office on Tuesday formally unsealed indictments filed against a man charged in the death of Cantrell, who went missing in 2017. Attorney General John O'Connor said in a Tuesday press release his office will prosecute a first-degree murder charge filed against Cody Ketchum, 36, of Eufaula, in the death of Cantrell, along with a misdemeanor charge of destroying evidence.
Skeletal remains found in 2018 were positively identified as Cantrell in 2020. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Cantrell's probable cause of death as "undetermined" with a manner of death "unknown," according to reports the McAlester News-Capital obtained through an Open Records Act request.
"Damage to the cranium indicates a significant traumatic event occurred, however the type of event, either blunt force trauma or gunshot wound, could not be determined with the available skeletal material," a forensic anthropology findings report states.
The report states that not all of the skeleton was accounted for due to animal activity.
Ketchum is accused of deleting text messages from his cellphone that were sent between himself and Cantrell.
Pittsburg County Sheriff Chris Morris said there was no evidence of a murder weapon and referenced the medical examiner not listing a cause of death due to the condition of Cantrell's remains.
The Pittsburg County Sheriff's Department opened the homicide investigation after the remains were found and identified as Cantrell's.
Morris said investigators from his agency and the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office worked together on the case that was later presented to the 19th Multicounty Grand Jury impaneled in Oklahoma City.
The sheriff said evidence found on Ketchum's cellphone through execution of several search warrants led to the indictments.
"They sent some investigators down and they helped us a bunch as far as search warrants and really getting some key evidence," Morris told the News-Capital after Ketchum's arrest.
The indictment for destroying evidence states Ketchum "unlawfully and knowingly deleted text messages between himself and Holly Cantrell from his cellular device."
Pittsburg County Jail records show Ketchum was being held Wednesday on a $1 million bond.
The 19th Multicounty Grand Jury returned the two indictments Oct. 13 with the Pittsburg County Court Clerk receiving the documents Oct. 14 with an order to seal.
Pittsburg County Associate District Judge Tim Mills signed a warrant issued against Ketchum on Oct. 14. It was returned Oct. 17 after the Pittsburg County Sheriff's Department arrested Ketchum.
Cantrell went missing in January 2017 when she left the McAlester Regional Health Center on her lunch break. Ketchum told investigators at the time he picked up Cantrell from the hospital and dropped her off at the Braum's on U.S. Highway 69 in McAlester so she could eat with friends.
Cantrell never returned to work and was later reported missing by family when she did not return home.
Her purse was found a month later in February 2017 at the Cardinal Point Recreation Area.
Skeletal remains were found in the same area in 2018 before DNA testing performed at the University of North Texas identified the remains as Cantrell's in 2020.
According to the indictment, Ketchum testified before the grand jury along with investigators from PCSO, the McAlester Police Department, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and Cantrell's family members.
Cantrell's family has requested privacy.
Contact Derrick James at djames@mcalesternews.com
