David
Allen Tyner


By Craig Henry
Multimedia Producer

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – A Cherokee Nation citizen is being held in the Oklahoma County jail after surrendering to police in connection with the Nov. 9 shooting deaths of six people in Oklahoma City.

David Allen Tyner, 28, of Locust Grove, turned himself in on Nov. 17 to the Mayes County Sheriff’s Office in Pryor after being named a suspect in the deaths of six people whose bodies were found in a burning home at 1511 S.W. 56th St. in Oklahoma City. 

“He walked into the sheriff’s office and said ‘I’m David Tyner, I hear you guys are looking for me,’” said Mayes County Sheriff Frank Cantey. “He was pretty calm.”

Cantey said authorities from Oklahoma County, the U.S. Marshal Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation had been in the area on Nov. 16 looking for Tyner.

Oklahoma City Police Department Sgt. Gary Knight said he was notified of Tyner turning himself in on Nov. 17.

“I was notified early in the morning, probably 8:30 or 9,” Knight said. “He did turn himself in and was transported back to Oklahoma City, where he was booked on six counts of murder in the first degree.”

Authorities said two of the victims – 22-year-olds Brooke Phillips, of Moore, and Milagrous Barrerra of Mustang – were pregnant. Phillips had been a prostitute featured on the HBO reality series “Cathouse,” police said. The other two victims were positively identified Nov. 18 as 25-year-old Jennifer Lynn Ermey, of Edmond, and 32-year-old Casey Mark Barrentos of Oklahoma City.

According to a police affidavit, a witness inside the residence told police Tyner was arguing with one of the victims when the shooting occurred. All four victims died of gunshot wounds, police said.

Tyner was booked in the Oklahoma County Jail at 4:45 p.m. on Nov. 17 and is being held without bond. According to the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office, as of Nov. 18, Tyner had not been officially charged with any crime.

Knight said police have not determined a motive, but said investigators believe there was more than one suspect.

“We don’t believe he acted alone, but we have no other suspects at this time,” Knight said. 

Tyner was a two-time state champion wrestler from Salina who finished his high school career at Locust Grove, where he was a two-time All-American and a state runner-up his senior year in 2000, said Johnny Cook, Tyner’s wrestling coach at Locust Grove.

“I can’t believe this,” Cook said. “I’m just shocked. The guy I know, there’s no way he could ever do that.”

Cook said he learned of Tyner’s arrest from his wife who had seen a report on television. He said he remembers Tyner being compassionate.

“He obviously had a strong work ethic and a strong will to succeed, being a two-time All-American and a state runner-up,” Cook said. “But he was very kind-hearted, too. If someone was being bullied or picked on in school, he would take up for that individual. That’s the David I knew.”

After high school, Tyner wrestled at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga and later joined the U.S. Marine Corps, Cook said.

After a stint in the military, Tyner became a mixed martial arts fighter and compiled a 6-1 record.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Reach Multimedia Producer Craig Henry at (918) 207-4975 or at william-henry@cherokee.org