OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Steve Bashore, R-Miami, today issued a statement regarding the pending release of Ronnie Busick who was convicted of accessory to felony murder in a case involving two missing Welch teenagers.

Busick was sentenced in 2020 to10 years in prison and five years' probation, one supervised, for his involvement with the disappearance and presumed deaths of 16-year-olds Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman and the deaths of Ashley's parents, Danny and Kathy Freeman, who were fatally shot in the head and whose remains were discovered in a mobile home that had been set on fire. The crime happened Dec. 30, 1999.

According to the Department of Corrections, Busick was credited with three years of time served in a county jail and subsequent good-days earned while incarcerated, leading to his release date of May 19. He will have 24 hours after his release to report for supervised probation, which will last for one year.

"I spoke with Lisa Bible-Broderick, the aunt of Lauria, yesterday regarding the release of this admitted heinous felon," Bashore said. "The family was completely caught off guard by this news and learned about it through media.

"Court documents show the teens were taken to a mobile home in Picher, where they were bound, tortured, raped, and killed, and their bodies thrown into a Picher area mine pit.

"I would ask decision makers and those who prosecuted this individual, what would you say to the families? What if these heinous acts impacted your loved ones and your families? Would the outcome be different? There are individuals currently serving lengthier sentences in our state prisons who will continue doing so for much lower-level crimes. Releasing this individual is horrific for the families and an absolute travesty. Additionally, the release of this felon who participated in this grisly crime that resulted in the kidnapping, rape, torture and likely murder of these young girls will negatively impact the families and our communities."