Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman Case Prompts New Search

Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman Case Search Underway

A new search is underway in the long-running Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman case, nearly 25 years after the two northeast Oklahoma girls disappeared.

Investigators with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) say authorities are searching an area near Baxter Springs, Kansas, just north of the Oklahoma state line near Ottawa County.

The renewed effort is part of the continuing investigation into one of Oklahoma’s most well-known missing persons cases.

Crime Began With Deadly House Fire

The Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman case began in December 1999 after a fire destroyed the Freeman family home in Welch.

Investigators say Ashley Freeman’s parents were found dead inside the burned house, and the two teenagers were believed to have been kidnapped the same night.

Authorities later said evidence suggested the girls were likely killed, though their bodies have never been found.

The investigation has involved multiple agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Conviction Connected to the Case

One man has been convicted in connection with the disappearance.

Ronnie Busick pleaded guilty to accessory to murder in the Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman case.

Busick was sentenced to 10 years in prison but served about one year after receiving credit for time already served and reductions for good behavior.

Officials say investigators with the OSBI and FBI continue working to locate the girls’ remains and bring closure to the decades-old case.

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