What happens when some of the finest investigators in the country come out of retirement to put their collective talents and years of experience towards the most notorious cold case murders in the area they call home? Investigation Discovery’s (ID) all-new series, KILLER UNKNOWN follows an active investigation in real time, as the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) Cold Case Task Force cracks open the 31 unsolved cases of Tulsa County, starting with two of its most terrifying: the 1973 murder of 38-year-old Veda Woodson, and the 1998 murder of 16-year-old Dena Ann Dean. Both unsolved cases continue to haunt the Tulsa community, and now the TCSO Cold Case Task Force is determined to find justice for the victims. From production company Lucky 8, the six-part series, KILLER UNKNOWN, premieres Saturday, November 24 at 10/9c, only on ID.
Each episode of KILLER UNKNOWN chronicles the TCSO Cold Case Task Force as they re-examine the Woodson and Dean cases with fresh eyes, speaking with loved ones and reviewing evidence through modern technology in hopes of generating new leads for the cases.
Created in June 2016, the TCSO Cold Case Task Force is comprised of seasoned homicide detectives and specialized experts who volunteer their time and expertise to reviewing unsolved cases from different perspectives. Led by retired Tulsa police sergeant Mike Huff, the task force focuses its resources on cases with the highest probability of being solved with fresh new leads and modern forensic technologies. The task force is currently examining 31 cases across Tulsa County, with the ultimate goal of finding answers and justice for victims and their families.
About Dena Ann Dean
On June 6, 1998, 16-year-old Dena Dean was working at her after-school job at Arby’s in Tulsa, OK. After work, Dena asked her parents, Larry and Diana, if she could go to local grocery store Marvin’s Food Warehouse to see her best friend, as well as her boyfriend. With her parent’s permission, Dena left her shift and drove to Marvin’s – but was never heard from again. When Dena failed to return home after curfew, her parents became uneasy; that uneasiness turned to panic when they received a call from a friend who found Dena’s car. A manhunt was launched, and six days later, Dena’s body was found at a local dump site where kids would often hang out – it was too decomposed to determine a specific cause of death. Now, 20 years later, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office has several new leads – but can they finally solve this case for good?
About Veda Woodson
A mother of four, 38-year-old Veda Woodson was willing to make great sacrifices for her kids. That’s why, on July 26, 1973, she left home for her late-night job as a cleaning woman at First National Bank in Tulsa, OK. It was just the second night of the first job she ever had. Her husband and children couldn’t have known they’d never see her again. At approximately 1 AM, Woodson was on her 20-minute drive home when her 1958 Chevrolet broke down on the side of the road. Stranded in her vehicle, another car pulled up behind hers. Was someone going to help? Hope quickly turned to terror, as the stranger broke Woodson’s car window, dragged her out of the vehicle, and then raped and strangled her. The next day, Woodson’s body was discovered by her brothers in a nearby field. Her killer has never been found.
For a complete roster of cases being investigated by the TCSO Cold Case Task Force, please visit https://tcso.org/resources/cold-cases/. If you believe you have information that might help solve any of the cases, please contact the TCSO Cold Case Task Force office at 918-596-5723.
KILLER UNKNOWN is produced for Investigation Discovery by Lucky 8 with Greg Henry, Kim Woodard and Mitchell Rosenbaum serving as executive producers. For Investigation Discovery, Lorna Thomas is senior executive producer, Sara Kozak is SVP of production, Kevin Bennett is general manager and Henry Schleiff is Group President, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, American Heroes Channel and Destination America.
About Investigation Discovery
Investigation Discovery (ID) is the leading crime and justice network on television, delivering the highest-quality programming to approximately 85 million U.S. households. From harrowing crimes to in-depth investigations and heart-breaking mysteries behind these “real people, real stories”, the always revealing network challenges our understanding of culture, society and the human condition. The #1 network for women in all of cable, ID’s programming is available in both high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD), as well as anytime and anywhere through the network’s TV Everywhere offering, IDGo. For exclusive web content and bonus material, fans can follow ID on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or check out the network’s true crime blog, CrimeFeed.
Investigation Discovery is part of Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Available in 220 countries and territories and 50 languages, Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. For additional information about ID, please visit InvestigationDiscovery.com
About Lucky 8
LUCKY 8 is an unscripted television and film production company launched in 2014 by veteran producers and partners Kim Woodard, Greg Henry, Isaac Holub and George Kralovansky, whose combined skills fill the spectrum from blue-chip documentary to access-driven journalism. The company is behind a range of award-winning series, event specials and feature documentaries, in genres spanning crime, food, science and more. For more information, visit www.lucky8.tv.
