A native of Houston, Texas, and proud Chickasaw Indian, Lt. Chase Calhoun has been in law enforcement for 10 years. Before being selected to join the Homicide Unit, he worked several other units of TPD, such as Gang, Sex Crimes and Robbery.

Calhoun was drawn to the police department because he finds the work extremely challenging, yet rewarding. “Solving difficult or challenging cases and seeing the end result makes me proud.”

Calhoun likes to spend time with friends and family, working out or cheering on all of Houston’s professional sports teams. He also enjoys piloting small aircrafts.

Calhoun was promoted to Lieutenant in August 2020 and currently overseas the Auto Theft Unit.

In the twelve years Lieutenant Justin Ritter has been part of the Tulsa Police Department, he has worked in a wide range of units, including Vice, Robbery, Narcotics, Street Crimes and Crime Scene Investigation. He takes pride in making a positive difference in a “crazy world.” He enjoys putting together the puzzle pieces of a homicide investigation and figuring out who the suspect is.

In Ritter’s free time, he enjoys doing yard work, working out and riding mountain bikes and road bikes. Spending time with his wife and two children helps him cope with the stress of the job.

Det. Justin Ritter was promoted to Corporal before leaving Homicide in February 2019. Now he is a Lieutenant, overseeing officers on patrol in the Gilcrease Division, also known as “GID”.

Lieutenant Brandon Watkins joined the Tulsa Police Department in July 1997. After a stint in on partrol, Watkins moved to the Detective Division, where he worked in Child Crisis, Burglary, and Armed Robbery Units before moving to lead the Homicide Unit. He feels fortunate to be working in police work, requiring constant self-asssessment that one doesn’t experience in other jobs. Working in homicide, he fully devotes himself to the singular cause of justice for the victim and their families.

He finds that simply moving helps with the stress of the job—bicycle rides, hiking, and even playing the bagpipes, which he has been learning for the past few years. He also enjoys the company of his son and daughter. His daughter keeps him busy as she is on the softball team and competes across the country. Watkins juggles reading 4-5 books at a time and is proud to cultivate the world’s finest cop mustache.

Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Sergeant Nathan Schilling now lives on a farm just outside of Tulsa with his wife and three kids. He’s a 14-year-veteran of the Tulsa Police Department. He worked as a Crime Scene Detective for six years prior to joining Homicide two years ago.

Sergeant Schilling likes the challenges of homicide work and enjoys the payoff of seeing criminals brought to justice. When he’s not working, Schilling likes to spend time in the outdoors with his family. Schilling was promoted to Sergeant in October 2019.

Raised in Bixby, Oklahoma, Sergeant Jeremy Stiles joined Tulsa PD in 2011. He worked in the Major Crimes Unit, as well as the Street Crimes Unit where he became a sergeant.

In September 2020, Sgt. Stiles made his way to the Homicide Unit where he works on cold cases. Following clues and solving puzzles is what drew him to the unit. “Helping those who did nothing wrong, but can no longer help themselves,” is what makes Sgt. Stiles proud to be a homicide investigator.

Sgt. Stiles has a wife and two daughters who keep him very busy with dance recitals and acting performances. When he has the spare time, he enjoys playing ice hockey and golf.

Sgt. Dave Walker was born in Aurora, Colorado and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. After college, he joined the Tulsa Police Department in 1982. Before joining Homicide in 2011, he worked extensively in many different units including Patrol, Narcotics, Burglary, Robbery, and SWAT. He has received numerous medals for his outstanding police work, including a Medal of Valor for a fire rescue in 1987, a Chief’s Medal for leading a violent crime task force and a medal for leading an extensive federal narcotics investigation.

Walker believes that family is very important to an investigator. “Family gives you perspective.” He and his wife have raised three sons. Two of his sons work in law enforcement and his third son works as an assistant baseball coach at a university.

Walker has coached several youth baseball teams and believes that youth sports can teach children essential life skills as they reach adulthood. He finds parallels in coaching sports and managing a squad as he continues to lead this group of dedicated men and women of homicide.

Sgt. Dave Walker retired from the Tulsa Police Department on August 31, 2018 after 36 years as a Tulsa Police Officer, the last seven years as the supervisor of the homicide unit. He and his wife now spend time giving back to the community of Tulsa.

Det. Dianna Baumann joined Homicide so she could help people, but says, “I get excited to catch ‘bad’ guys, too.” Before she transferred Homicide in 2010, she spent seventeen years in patrol and five years working in Child Crisis. She enjoys closing cases and helping to offer some closure to the victims’ families.

While working in Child Crisis, Detective Baumann received a Chief’s award for a multi-victim sexual abuse investigation.

Baumann was born and raised in Tulsa. To cope with the stress of the job, Baumann runs marathons and enjoys spending time with her husband and her two children.

Det. Dianna Baumann retired from Tulsa Police Department in May 2017.

Detective John Brown is a native of Beggs, Oklahoma. He joined the Tulsa Police Department in 1989, and worked in Burglary, Robbery, Patrol and the Special Investigations Division before joining Homicide in 2012.

In 1994 Detective Brown received of a Medal of Valor for an act of outstanding bravery while working as an undercover investigator in VICE.

Brown was inspired to become a police officer by his brother. He later joined Homicide to work with Sgt. Dave Walker, his long time friend and colleague since the mid-90s. According to Brown, the best and most challenging part of a homicide investigation is interviewing a suspect and getting him to confess to his crime; “getting inside a killer’s mind.”

To relieve the stress of work, Brown spends his free time with family, including his three children. He also loves traveling with his wife Kathy.

Detective Matt Farrell was inspired by his father who was a firefighter for over two decades, leading him to a career in the police department for the past 22 years.

Working as a patrol officer and in the Crime Scene Unit prior, “It was a privilege to be selected into the Homicide Unit.” He takes pride in working together as a unit and being able to help families get answers to what happened to their loved ones.

To cope with working in a field surrounding death, Det. Farrell believes it is important to take personal time away from work. He enjoys coaching baseball, and spending time with his wife, daughter and son by the lake.

Before his career in law enforcement, Det. Matthew Frazier played basketball at Oral Robert University. Often before a game he would talk to the officers at the stadium about what it was like to be a police officer. Inspired to help out in the community, Frazier joined the Tulsa PD where he worked for ten years before joining the Homicide Unit in 2014.

A proud father of two, Frazier spends much of his free time at his children’s sporting events. He met his wife, Nicole, while he was a strength coach for the Colorado Rockies. During a game, he wrote his name and phone number on a baseball and threw it to Nicole in the stands. Since then, he and his wife have shared a love for the game of baseball.

Frazier loves the outdoors and enjoys mountain biking, road cycling and backpacking with friends and family.

On September 26, 2016 Detective Frazier decided to step away from the Tulsa Police Department to pursue another opportunity outside of law enforcement. He enjoys his new pursuits and has more time with his family.

Det. Jeff Gatwood has always enjoyed helping people, which led him to a career in law enforcement for the past 27 years. “I believe it was my calling.” He strives to seek justices for families, even in this challenging career choice. In 1995, Det. Gatwood received a Medal of Valor for an act of Outstanding Bravery while working as a uniform patrol officer. He worked five years in the Gang Unit and eight years in Robbery, where he gained knowledge that has been instrumental to his developing career. In August 2019, he achieved a career dream by joining Tulsa Homicide Unit.

Outside of work, Det. Gatwood enjoys fishing, hunting, riding his ATV, and spending time with his three daughters, one son, and grandchildren. He and his wife enjoy their four dogs as well.

A former member of the Fugitive Task Force, Det. Mark Kennedy has been with Tulsa Homicide since 2006. Kennedy says, “the excitement of the job and serving the public is what made me want to be a homicide detective.” Kennedy doesn’t mind the pressures of his job because he knows how important it is to his community.

Kennedy is the recipient of numerous awards, including two Medals of Valor. He was awarded the first medal in 1994 while working in VICE, and the second in 2004 while being part of the Northern Oklahoma Violent Task Force. He was also awarded the department commendation medal and the Bergen County New Jersey Apprehension award for capturing two of America’s Most Wanted criminals in 2001.

Mark Kennedy has been married for 27 years and has a 21-year-old son. He spends his down time doing woodwork, working out and spending time with his family.

Born and raised in Dewey, OK, Det. Lacy Lansdown was inspired to join law enforcement by her father who is a retired police officer. In January 2011 she joined Tulsa PD, working in various units such as the Special Investigations Division, Family Violence Unit, and the Special Victims (Sex Crimes) Unit.

New to the Homicide Unit, Det. Lansdown enjoys the mystery of solving homicides and putting the pieces of the puzzle together to solve the crime.

What makes Det. Lansdown proud to be an investigator is having the power to speak up for those who have been silenced. She is driven by the opportunity to work with some of the best detectives in the country, who all make a difference in the Tulsa community.

When she isn’t working, Det. Lansdown enjoys traveling the world, and being surrounded by animals, as she is a huge advocate of animal rescue.

An Oklahoma native, Ronnie Leatherman spent eight years working in Narcotics before transferring to Homicide. He loves working in Homicide because every investigation is unique. He finds the satisfaction of getting a killer off the street helps him push through the challenges of the job. He says, “I love the freedom to chase down bad guys instead of being stuck at a desk all day.”

Leatherman spends his free time traveling with his wife and three children and playing basketball to relax.

Detective Rob McCoy joined Tulsa PD in July 1997. Since then he has worked his way through various departments, such as Burglary and the Cyber Crimes Unit, before landing in the Homicide Unit in September 2020.

Det. McCoy’s interest in joining the Police Department began through a childhood friend, whose father was a Trooper and took them on ride-a-longs. He became an investigator to bring justice to victims and their families.

When he’s not solving cases, McCoy enjoys rooting for the Kansas City Royals and Nebraska Cornhuskers. Det. McCoy is a graduate of University of Central Missouri, and has a wife and two children.

In November 2021, McCoy left Homicide and Tulsa PD to become a Crime and Intelligence Analyst.

Detective Vernon McNeal joined Tulsa PD in 2008, and worked in the Robbery and Family Violence Units before joining Homicide in June 2022. Det. McNeal was interested in working in law enforcement from the time he was young and growing up in Nashville, TN. As a homicide detective, he takes pride in being able to help people during the worst times of their lives.

When he’s not at work, Det. McNeal enjoys reading, going to church, and spending time with his wife and seven children.

Det. Max Ryden is a 20-year veteran of the Tulsa PD where he spent 10 years working the Burglary and Robbery Units before joining Homicide in 2017. Ryden’s interest in law enforcement grew after his first college criminal justice class.

Det. Ryden appreciates the community he serves and wants to find justice for the family of the victims. “I don’t stop thinking about the case until it is finished.”

When not working a case, Ryden enjoys watching a Kansas City Royals game, playing other sports such as golf and tennis, and spending time with his wife and two children.

With a family history in law enforcement, Detective Bryant “Emery” Ward always wanted to be a police officer. Joining the Tulsa Police Department in May 2015, Detective Ward worked in various units including the Downtown Impact Unit and the Robbery Unit. He was drawn to the Homicide Unit by the complexity of the cases, and joined the unit in June 2022.

Being around death wears on Detective Ward, so he likes to spend time with his wife and two kids outdoors to cope. With his family he enjoys camping, hunting, fishing, and even coaches children sports

Det. Reggie Warren joined Tulsa Police Department in 1996. He has always had a will to protect. He joined the Homicide Unit in January 2019, and is proud to be able to bring peace of mind to the families who have lost loved ones. Det. Warren believes in leaving work at work, and does not bring it home with him. He enjoys a round or two of golf in his off time to relieve the stresses of the job./p>

Being the son of a California Highway Patrolman, Det. Jason White was drawn to law enforcement since he was a child. His interest in homicide came from a high profile case he saw in the news when he was young.

In addition to being a homicide detective, White is the crisis negotiator for the Special Operations Team and a member of the Critical Incident Response Team. He says, “Homicide is more of a lifestyle as opposed to a job.”

White is married and the father of five.

Originally from Harper Woods, Michigan, Det. Michael Zenoni joined Tulsa PD in 1981 before he moved to Homicide in 1999. He was also part of the Special Operation Team (SWAT) for twelve years, and worked in Burglary for one year.

He thrives on the challenges that come with the job. Part of his drive comes from the desire to see the “good guys” win.

Zenoni is married with two children. In his downtime, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He played hockey and baseball for many years and now still enjoys watching sports to relax.

Det. Michael Zenoni retired from Tulsa Police Department in August 2019.