The Garvin County manhunt for 25-year-old Kameron Jenkins, accused of shooting Cleveland County Deputy Sean Steadman during a traffic stop Oct. 4 and then fleeing on foot, came to an end Tuesday morning after law enforcement officers found a body they believe to be Jenkins in a thicket about 150 yards from the initial crime scene.
Garvin County Sheriff Jim Mullett said the discovery was made about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday as law enforcement officers conducted a fresh grid search with cadaver dogs near Interstate 35 and Ruppe Road, where last week’s shooting occurred.
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation crime scene technicians and the State Medical Examiner’s office were onsite Tuesday afternoon processing the scene. Mullett said investigators are still unsure how exactly Jenkins died, partly because the area where the body was found is covered in dense brush and briars.
“It’s going to take us a little bit to get in there and take the scene and process that scene,” Mullett said. “The whole crime scene’s going to be worked front to back. We still have a lot of work we’re going to be doing.”
The body was found in an area that coincided with the direction officers knew Jenkins ran after the shooting, based on body camera footage, according to Mullett.
Multiple law enforcement agencies from around the state have been assisting in the search for Jenkins over the last week. Officers have been working around the clock as they canvassed the area and followed up on all tips and information coming in from citizens. Search efforts were impeded early on by storms that moved through the area the first night of the manhunt.
Mullett said he worked with U.S. Marshals as they followed up on leads in the Oklahoma City area, where Jenkins is from, serving warrants and questioning known associates and family members.
As investigators continued to follow up on tips, Mullett said they just weren’t getting any credible information on Jenkins' whereabouts, so they decided start back at square one.
He said the decision was made Monday night to pull back and start a new grid search from the initial crime scene, methodically and exhaustively looking for any evidence or any sign of Jenkins.
It was during that search Tuesday that the cadaver dogs found the body matching Jenkins’ description. Mullett said it appears he crawled into the thicket.
“He was within our perimeter,” Mullett said. “Our original perimeter was so tight, he never got out.”
Cleveland County Deputy Sean Steadman was working drug interdiction along Interstate 35 as part of the District 21 Drug Task Force October 4, when he attempted to pull Jenkins over near exit 60, south of Wynnewood. A chase ensued with Jenkins exiting onto Ruppe Road. According to court documents, Steadman was able to execute a tactical vehicle intervention maneuver, causing Jenkins’ vehicle to come to a stop on the side of the road. Jenkins and Steadman exchanged gunfire and Steadman was shot in the chin and collarbone. Jenkins fled the scene on foot.
Steadman is expected to recover from his injuries, but a second person, Gwaun Frierson, was shot and killed in the incident when he was hit by a stray bullet while riding in the passenger side of a dump truck traveling north on Interstate 35. The driver of the dump truck, Julion Diaz, was not hurt.
Sheriff Mullett said he wants to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the law enforcement agencies who have assisted in the search efforts including the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, U.S. Marshal Service, OSBI, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, Department of Wildlife and local police departments.
“We had over 200 people here involved in the search Wednesday, the day that it started,” Mullett said.
He also thanked the public for their cooperation and support over the last week.
“It’s been amazing how much support we’ve had from the citizens and just the local law enforcement community coming together.”
Mullett offered a special thank you to local resident Richard Freeman, who allowed law enforcement agencies to set up a command center on his property during the search efforts.
