TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — A 29-year-old man from the Cherokee Nation was reported missing in 2016, but no alerts were sent out to citizens or authorities at the time of his disappearance.
Six years later, Kasey Russell's body was discovered just a quarter mile from his last known location.
Now, when an adult between the ages of 18 and 59 goes missing under "suspicious circumstances" — possibly due to an abduction — a Kasey Alert is issued.
The alert aims to notify authorities and the public when any Oklahoma adult is reported critically missing, similar to an Amber Alert.
According to a report by The Oklahoman, previous attempts to create an alert for adults were unsuccessful due to fears of overuse, but "supporters see the alerts as a vital way to protect adult victims in a state where domestic violence kills two people every week on average."
According to the Oklahoma House of Representatives, House Bill 1077, authored by Rep. Ken Luttrell, authorized the creation of the Kasey Alert System in April 2023.
Luttrell hopes the Kasey Alert will help coordinate communication between law enforcement and the public.
Not only is Kasey remembered in this statewide initiative, but he is remembered as a man with a deep love for his family.
"His mom was his best friend," his obituary said.
You can read the full bill establishing the Kasey Alert here.
Watch 5NEWS on YouTube.
Download the 5NEWS app on your smartphone:
Stream 5NEWS 24/7 on the 5+ app: How to watch the 5+ app on your streaming device
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com and detail which story you're referring to.
