WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — The year 2021 has become the deadliest year in Wichita Falls since the 1990s after information emerged Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2022, of a suicide that was later determined a homicide.
The murder of 65-year-old Vickie Hanson put Wichita Falls at 14 homicides for the year 2021.
This number comes as a significant rise compared to the five homicides reported for the year 2018, four reported for 2019, and an increase to 10 homicides reported for the year 2020.
The last time Wichita Falls saw a homicide rate of at least 16 was in the early 1990s.
The first homicide of 2021 occurred early the morning of Jan. 10 in the 1700 block of Pearl.
29-year-old Curtis Day died from gunshot wounds, and his girlfriend was shot and wounded.
Patrick Lyle Osborn was charged and remains jailed on $1.5 million bonds.
The victim who survived said Day threw his body over her to protect her when Osborn began firing. Police said Osborn said he’d been smoking meth and was paranoid.
The two last homicides to be recorded in 2021 were on Oct. 14.
The first was when Martin Jones was pronounced dead from gunshot wounds several days after being shot. Witnesses said Jones and Noel Martin had been arguing about damage to Jones’ car. Martin is jailed on a $1 million bond and is also charged with criminal mischief.
The second homicide for Oct. 14, was the murder of Vickie Hanson, who was believed to have been murdered by her ex-husband, Bruce Hanson, according to WFPD. According to the family, although they has been divorced in the 80s, the two were still living together at the time. Bruce Hanson is jailed on a $1 million bond.