An Oklahoma State Senate candidate found dead inside a pickup that had crashed into a ravine died by suicide, according to officials, but his family is challenging that conclusion and raising questions about what they believe was a “staged” scene.
Barry Christian, a Trump-supporting Republican running for the District 38 Senate seat in western Oklahoma, was discovered with a fatal gunshot wound to the head on April 30, the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said in a preliminary report released Tuesday.
The one-page report, obtained by NonDoc, listed the 54-year-old candidate’s manner of death as suicide.
Christian’s body was found after a hunter contacted the Beckham County Sheriff’s Office about a pickup truck that had gone off Highway 30 and crashed in a ravine near the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Refuge, close to the Texas border.
He had been reported missing after failing to appear for a scheduled meeting on April 28.
Nearly three months after his death, Christian’s relatives — who said the loss turned their world “upside down” — accused the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation of mishandling the case.
“I am very emotional writing this, but I’m done being quiet. I’m extremely angry. The OSBI has botched this investigation,” Christian’s ex-wife, Farrah Christian, wrote on Facebook.
“Barry was right-handed,” she added. “He ‘allegedly’ shot himself with his left hand.”
Officials were investigating whether Christian’s death was staged after finding his truck riddled with several bullet holes, his family said.
“They think he shot his truck before turning the gun on himself. Funny thing is, they did not test his right hand or sleeve for gunshot residue, only the left. So why would he shoot up his truck with his left hand?” she asked.
“The OSBI even TOLD US they know it was staged. Let’s face it. Oklahoma politics and law enforcement are as crooked as a $3 bill. Money talks. They’ve obviously been paid off,” Farrah Christian claimed, calling for a better investigation for the sake of their children and grandchildren.
Christian’s daughter, who was left distraught over her father’s death, was not satisfied with the autopsy findings, pointing out alleged irregularities by officials.
“I will not quietly accept my father’s name being attached to a conclusion that I believe is inconsistent with the circumstances surrounding his death and with what our family has been told throughout this investigation,” Neleh Christian wrote on Facebook Tuesday night.
The grieving daughter revealed her family was told officials had been investigating Christian’s death as a homicide and the medical examiner’s report is separate from the bureau of investigations criminal case.
“Oklahoma law can allow certain summary information, including the manner of death, to become public while a criminal investigation is still ongoing. That may explain how a suicide determination could be released while OSBI continues investigating a possible homicide,” she said. “It does not answer why suicide was determined in the first place.”
The frustrated daughter called out the reliability of the medical examiner’s office, who had regained national accreditation last year after being without one for 15 years over deteriorating buildings and insufficient staff, according to KOCO.
“This is not about politics. This is not about creating a conspiracy. This is about my dad,” Neleh said.
“Barry was a father. A grandfather. A brother. A best friend. He was a human being whose life and death deserve to be treated with extraordinary care,” she penned.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
