Rice case gets another look from authorities

On Nov. 4, 2003 Buffalo toddler Garrett Rice died from oxycodone in his blood system. For the past five years his family has wondered how this event occurred and who was responsible for his death.

Answers might be coming shortly as the Buffalo police department has reopened the case.

Police Chief Jeremy Murrell conducted a series of drug raids in February. During one of the busts some new evidence was discovered that led Murrell to reconsider the Garrett Rice case. One of the suspects in the case was spotted at a home police raided for drugs.

Murrell said he officially reopened the case on Feb. 20. Soon after Rice’s family made fliers offering $10,000 reward for any information regarding the death of the Buffalo toddler.

Murrell said even though new evidence has been found, the investigation is still ongoing. There are details related to Garrett’s death that investigators are unclear about. Murrell hopes that with a reward being offered more people will step forward and tell what they know regarding the suspicious circumstances of Garrett’s death.

Back in 2003, Rice, 1, was dropped off at the babysitter’s by his mother, Casey. Casey was going to Oklahoma City that night to be with her husband, who was recovering from surgery.

While under babysitter Sharon Rowley’s supervision, the boy died.

The State Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Rice had enough oxycodone in his system to kill an adult.

Oxycodone is found in adult prescription pain medications such as OxyContin and Percocet. The drug is considered to be morphine-like and has a similar abuse potential. It is available in tablet, capsule and liquid forms.

Murrell said that according to the autopsy report, there was no evidence of pills in Garrett’s system.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation took over the case when it was determined by the State Medical Examiner’s Office that the death was “extremely suspicious.”

According to a statement Chief Murrell prepared, “this case was investigated thoroughly by the OSBI and the case was presented to the district attorney’s office.”

The statement goes on to say that at the time the district attorney’s office looked into the case, but could not find enough evidence to support prosecution.

This crushed Rice’s family, as they had to wait for evidence to appear that could bring them closure. With Murrell reopening the case, it has renewed the family’s spirit.

“The new police chief is the reason why this case is being looked at again,” said Christina Rice, Garrett’s grandmother.

She said the family constantly went to the district attorney about the case, but kept receiving the same answers about there being no new evidence.

Murrell said the family has come to him constantly as well, calling him eight or nine times each day for updates or to provide information.

“They’re the ones who have really pushed this,” he said. “They’ve done anything I’ve asked.”

Murrell has been police chief of Buffalo since October of last year. He said that his reserve officer came up to him his first day on the job and told him that the case needed to be reopened.
Nothing could have been done though, Murrell said, until more evidence was discovered. He said that the lack of evidence has hampered OSBI’s investigation of the case as well as the district attorney’s prosecution.

But with the help of Rice’s family and the public, Murrell is confident that something will turn up and the case can be closed soon.

District Attorney Michael Boring has been recovering from an illness and will not return to office until April 1. Murrell said that at that time he will go over the case with Boring.

With Rice’s death being looked at again and progress being made, it has brought some sense of an end to a five year ordeal for the family.

“Now I hope it all goes right,” Rice said.

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Medical Director: Board-Certified by American Board of Anesthesiology 1994, former chief of cardiac anesthesia, University of Nevada School of Medicine.

Board-Certified by American Board of Pain Medicine 1997, Clinical Assistant Professor University Nevada School of Medicine