Missing 14-Year-Old Broken Arrow Girl Found Safe, Tulsa Store Clerk Arrested
- mike33692
- 8 hours ago
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Missing 14-Year-Old Broken Arrow Girl Found Safe, Tulsa Store Clerk Arrested
A missing 14-year-old Broken Arrow girl has been found safe after spending nearly a week with a Tulsa convenience store clerk investigators say groomed her online before luring her away from home.
The missing 14-year-old Broken Arrow girl disappeared on July 11, prompting a multi-agency investigation involving the Broken Arrow Police Department, Tulsa Police Department, and the FBI. Investigators located her inside a Tulsa hotel room, where they arrested 43-year-old Matthew Puza on multiple complaints.
Missing 14-Year-Old Broken Arrow Girl Found Inside Tulsa Hotel
According to the Tulsa Police Department, what initially appeared to be a runaway investigation quickly changed after detectives uncovered evidence suggesting the teenager had been groomed through online communications.
Investigators with the FBI recovered surveillance video from July 11 showing the girl speaking with Puza while he was working as a clerk at a QuikTrip in Tulsa. Video later showed the pair walking to a vehicle before meeting again at a nearby restaurant.
Using Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology, investigators tracked Puza's vehicle to the Affordable Suites of America near East 71st Street and South Mingo Road.
When officers knocked on the hotel room door, they took Puza into custody and found the missing teen safely inside. She was removed from the hotel and placed into a safe environment.
Puza was booked on complaints of lewd or indecent proposals to a child, harboring a runaway juvenile, and obstructing an officer after police say he refused to identify himself during questioning.
An arrest is an allegation, not a conviction.
Father Says Family Didn't Know About Hidden Social Media Accounts
According to 2News KJRH, the girl's father, Eric Tole, said his family believed they had taken significant steps to protect their daughter online by limiting access to social media.
After she disappeared, they discovered she had been using multiple social media accounts without their knowledge.
"If there is anything I can say to parents nowadays," Tole said, "monitor, monitor, monitor their online activities. Have conversations with your child."
Investigators say the case serves as a reminder that online grooming often begins through private conversations on apps and social media platforms parents may not know their children are using. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children offers resources for parents on recognizing grooming behaviors and protecting children online.
Police Believe There May Be More Victims
Detectives with the Tulsa Police SPIDER Unit—the department's Sexual Predator Investigations and Digital Evidence Recovery team—believe Puza's actions may not have been isolated.
Lt. Mark Kraft said investigators found evidence suggesting the teenager had been groomed before leaving home and described the suspect's behavior as predatory.
Because of evidence uncovered during the investigation, detectives believe additional victims may exist.
Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to contact Tulsa Crime Stoppers at 918-596-COPS.
The investigation remains active as detectives continue reviewing digital evidence and asking anyone with additional information to come forward.
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