ARDMORE, Okla. (KTEN) — On June 9, 2022, in the early hours of the morning, six gunshots rang out, shattering the quiet of an Ardmore neighborhood.
By sunrise, 20-year-old Riley Wayne Tibbs was dead.
Four years later, no one has been charged in his death.
But now, investigators say they’re closer than ever to uncovering the truth.
“If we get the right lead, I do think we will have the evidence to be able to put a case together,” said Sgt. Matthew Dunn with the Ardmore Police Department.
Riley Wayne Tibbs grew up in Dickson, Oklahoma.
“With my baby brother Riley, first thing that comes to mind is his contagious smile,” said Hailey Stamper, Riley’s sister. “He’s a goofball. But he’s also in the same tone very smart.”
Stamper says the two were always close.
“We spent a lot of our time together. We had many holidays alone. Many times where we had to guide one another how to get through life,” Stamper said.
But on the morning of June 9, 2022, everything changed.
Just after 3 in the morning, Ardmore police got the call: multiple gunshots heard in the 1100 block of Sixth Avenue Northeast.
“When officers arrived, they located 20-year-old Riley Tibbs in the roadway, it appeared that he had suffered multiple gunshot wounds,” said Dunn.
Tibbs, who had been shot six times, was left fighting for his life.
While first responders fought to keep him alive, detectives were already combing the scene for answers.
There, they found pieces of a puzzle they’re still trying to solve today.
“He did have a cellphone on him at the time, we did find the shell casings and we know that the 10 bullets all were fired from the same weapon,” Dunn said.
Tibbs was flown to the hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Stamper says she was driving when she got the call that changed her family forever.
“I had to pull over, obviously it’s something very very hard for me,” Stamper said.
Four years later, the case remains unsolved.
Who killed Riley Tibbs — and why?
Ardmore police say they’re not giving up on finding the answer.
“It’s something that is extremely important to us. We take every lead seriously. We go home with these cases every day. And we have had to live with the death of Riley Tibbs,” Dunn said.
Investigators believe they’re getting close.
“We’ve had some good leads that pointed us in a couple different directions, some suspects who are probably responsible,” Dunn said.
But having a suspect and proving a case are two different things.
“We feel good about the evidence that we have, it’s just getting that one little piece of evidence, or a lead from the community, that pushes us where we need to be,” Dunn said.
Investigators believe one phone call is the only thing that stands between this case and justice.
Tibbs’ family has held onto that hope for the past four years.
“With him being my own sibling, I am very upset he’s not here to still be with me to grow old and have walkers and things, but the Lord needed a big angel for a big role in heaven,” Stamper said.
Ardmore police asking for help
Ardmore police are asking for your help.
If you know anything about the death of Riley Tibbs, contact the Ardmore Police Department at 580-223-1212.