(UPDATE) TULSA, Okla. — A Tulsa man has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after being found guilty of murdering his wife in January 2024.
KRMG told you when 39-year-old Cassidy Ritchie was reported missing, then later found dead in a car on the side of a highway near Catoosa.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner pronounced the manner of death as a homicide due to multiple blunt force injuries of the head, torso and extremities.
Ritchie’s husband, 49-year-old Chris Morland, was charged with first-degree murder in her death in February 2024.
Our news partners at FOX23 reported last week when a jury found Morland guilty of murdering Ritchie and hiding her body in the back of the car.
The jury recommended a sentencing of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
On Monday, Morland was formally sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
(10-17-2025) TULSA, Okla. — A Tulsa man has been found guilty of murdering his wife in January 2024.
39-year-old Cassidy Ritchie was reported missing, then later found dead in a car on the side of a highway near Catoosa.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner pronounced the manner of death as a homicide due to multiple blunt force injuries of the head, torso, and extremities.
Ritchie’s husband, 49-year-old Chris Morland, was charged with first-degree murder in her death in February of 2024.
On Thursday, a jury found Morland guilty of murdering Ritchie and hiding her body in the back of the car.
“It’s exactly what we were hoping for and we definitely want life without the possibility of parole,” said Cheryl Ritchie, Cassidy’s mother. “Of course he should never be free again.”
Despite the verdict, Cheryl said she doesn’t feel like she has justice.
“We don’t have my daughter. We’ll never have...I mean, if you want to call that justice, that’s fine, but our daughter...my daughter’s gone. His mother’s gone, his sister’s gone. Their mother’s gone. That’s not justice, but what can we do?”
Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said this is one of the most horrific murders he’s ever dealt with.
“To have killed the beautiful person that Cassidy was, was just an absolute tragedy to this community. Any witness that talked about her talked in glowing terms. Her parents, her siblings, her children, all of them talked about how she was a beautiful human being.”
The jury recommended a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
As Cassidy’s family waits for the judge to sentence Morland, Cheryl had a message about her daughter and the kind of person she was.
“I do have one thing that I know exactly [what] I want to say. Cassidy was just always looking out for me. She would bring me my lunch when I was at work. She would run and get me Dr. Pepper and say, ‘I got you, momma. I got you.’ She would say that all the time, and it was so cute. I’m going to turn that around and say, Chris Morland, we got you. We got you.”
You can read a full statement from District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler below:
“Chris Morland has been found GUILTY of First Degree Murder, and sentenced to LIFE in prison without the possibility of a parole by a jury.
Cassidy Ritchie was married to Morland, and he brutally beat her to death with a recorded 55 blows to all areas of her body resulting in numerous broken bones, and fatally severe internal bleeding.
I want to thank the victim’s family for being strong and courageous through this process, the Tulsa Police Department for doing great work, and the Muscogee Creek Nation Center for Victims, for sending advocates to support the victim’s family.
My office will always fight to secure justice for victims of abuse, and I’m glad that justice has been served in this case."
A judge is scheduled to sentence Morland on Monday.
(01-27-2024) TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa police homicide detectives say they searched the car of a missing woman after it was towed, and found the body inside.
In a brief written statement, TPD said Sunday: “Homicide Detectives serving a search warrant on the vehicle recovered near the I Don’t Care Bar and Grill discovered the body of Cassidy Ritchie this morning. The family has been notified. Detectives are working with the DA’s office to determine jurisdiction, but TPD Homicide expects to file a first degree murder charge on Chris Morland soon.”
Morland, already jailed on an unrelated warrant from Texas, was a person of interest in Ritchie’s disappearance from the beginning, police sources say.
He and Ritchie had recently married.
Original story:
Tulsa police now suspect foul play in the disappearance of 39-year-old Cassidy Ritchie.
TPD said Ritchie has not been in contact with her family since January 20th and her car was found with damage and off-road debris on it.
“We have reason to believe that Ritchie may have been the victim of foul play and left somewhere off Highway 412 between Tulsa and Inola.”
Police said Ritchie has been involved in a domestic violence situation before.
Investigators are now looking for someone who may have helped pull Ritchie’s car from a ditch.
“Detectives need to speak with the Good Samaritan who helped pulled Ritchie’s blue Chrysler Pacifica out of a ditch near the I Don’t Care Bar & Grill sometime between Sunday the 21st and Tuesday the 23rd. The I Don’t Care Bar & Grill is located off Hwy 412 at E 590 Rd near Inola.” TPD posted on social media.
TPD said anyone with information can leave a message at 918-596-9135 or call the non-emergency number at 918-596-9222.
“We’re looking for anyone who may have information about this case, it’s possible that you saw something while driving and didn’t think it was odd at the time.” TPD said.
