By Tim Hudson
Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise
Bartlesville Police Department officials say it could take months to receive an official cause of death for former Voice of the Martyrs Executive Director Walter Thomas “Tom” White.
“As far as the death investigation goes, only the State Medical Examiner can answer that question,” BPD Capt. Jay Hastings told the Examiner-Enterprise. “They will complete an official report on Tom White’s cause of death; this sometimes takes three to six months.”
Hasting said it is likely that the State Medical Examiner’s Office will be waiting for toxicology reports.
“The Bartlesville Police Department can’t release or comment on another agency’s report,” he said. “When that report is complete, I believe it is public record.”
White was found dead the morning of April 18 at the VOM complex, located east of Bartlesville, after he was reported missing the night before. Court records obtained by the Examiner-Enterprise showed that White had very recently been accused of molesting a young girl and authorities had launched an investigation.
Hastings said reports into that investigation will not be made public.
“That will not be released and that is a closed report at this time,” he said, noting that only one document, a “warrant for order” seeking White’s cellular phone location, was filed at the courthouse. That has been made public and was reported in the E-E. Click here to continue reading.
