This week on Reasonable Doubt, the team takes on the case of Oklahoma woman, Melissa Flores, who went missing in January 2007. The mother of three has been declared dead despite her body never being found.
Flores’s children were staying with a relative while she attended a party on January 26, the next morning, she spoke to the relative at 8 am to say she would collect her children at 11 am. She has not been seen or heard from since.
The 27-year-old’s car and personal belongings, including her purse and cellphone, were found outside the home of her on and off boyfriend, Ronnie Denny Jr.
Seven years went by without any development into the case until the summer of 2014 when Denny was arrested and charged with murdering the mother of his child.
Key witness says he helped Ronnie Denny hide a trunk
In the meantime, three witnesses had come forward to say that Denny had admitted to them of murdering Flores. One of the three, Russell Davis, said he helped Denny hide a trunk which he believed contained Flores’s remains.
Davis also claims he saw Denny dispose of the stock and clip from an assault rifle by throwing them into the Washita River.
Flores had allegedly attended a party around the time of her murder without Denny, and he had suspected her of cheating on him at this party. Another witness said she had seen abusive text messages from Denny to Flores.
Watch the Latest on our YouTube ChannelIn 2015, 36-year-old Denny was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Washita County District Attorney Angela Marsee has said the prosecution “was quite a challenge.” She added after Denny’s trial, “It was circumstantial. We had almost 60 witnesses that testified. Basically, a lot of it was proving that lack of contact and that lack of existence.”
Denny has consistently maintained that he had nothing to do with Flores’s disappearance. He did admit to having a troubled relationship with the victim. He said their relationship struggled because he was into drugs and partying and wasn’t ready to settle down.
More from Reasonable Doubt
Follow the links to read about more crimes profiled on Reasonable Doubt.
Lorie Lance Lee died of smoke inhalation in 1992 in Nashville, Tennessee; her boyfriend Claude Garrett was accused of murdering her by arson. However, many now believe it was a tragic accident.
Kathy Middleton died from a gunshot wound in 1990 in Missouri. Her husband, Ken Middleton, has been in prison ever since. However, many believe Ken is the victim of a botched investigation, and Kathy’s death was a tragic accident.
Reasonable Doubt airs Tuesday at 10/9c on Investigation Discovery.
After seeing the episode about Ronnie Denny, Jr., I would like to say this. It seems that the 2014 statement made by Ronnie’s childhood friend is very questionable. Why wait 7 years to change his story. He can’t be convicted of anything because there is no evidence. Wouldn’t it be considered hear say? Personally, I think the ex-husband was involved. Ronnie’s sister, I think she knows more then she is saying. Maybe Ronnie was railroaded because he was the town’s drug dealer. Convicting Ronnie of murder seems like a good way to make sure the “drug house” is gone for good. Somebody should really look into this case. This is a small town and unusal things happen in small towns.
I think his friend was motivated to tell the truth in an effort to recover Melissa’s remains and bring closure to the family.
I believe Ronnie is guilty and he is exactly where he belongs. She speaks to a relative at 8:00 am and says she is at Ronnie’s house. Her car is at his house with her purse and phone inside the car. Ronnie is spotted moving her car. No one else sees or hears from her after that. You don’t have to be Einstein to figure out that he killed her.
I watched the episode discussed here and unless there is a LOT of missing information on that episode, I do not understand how Ronnie is in prison. The ex husband, Kevin should be looked at very closely. I’m not going to write the whole episode in my comment, but based on the episode I watched, if that’s all the jury saw/heard…if I had been on the jury, I would not have found him guilty. This case needs to be looked at again. And not only for Ronnie, but for Melissa and for all their loved ones.
May be you should watch it again and this time carefully your comment doesn’t make any sense st the time of the murder he was running a drug den selling/using meth the night before she was partying with his then girlfriend none of them answered his calls that night he was looking for a booty call she left the party at 5 o’clock 4 girls saw her leaving she went straight to Ronnie’s house and rang her relatives at 8 o’clock to tell them she was at his house after that no one ever heard or saw her police found her purse and phone at his house he was seen moving her car which was parked outside his outside on to the end of his street..after that he left the state?
Ok there are alot of facts that have never been told by media…
1. No forensic evidence
2. NO DNA of hers
3. He had left the state
4. He got married (only time ever)
5.had a new baby when arrested
That new life and new family have never been mentioned or question, which I am thankful for so they could move on with there lives…
Ask me if I think he done it….NO
Ask me if I think hes capable… Yes
Why do I think he didnt do it….he loved his wife and he was a totally different person when he was with her…
He was on cloud 9 when his baby was born
He had a good job and was doing good…
Then the arrest…
He is now divorced, hasn’t seen his child since infant, and I believe hes innocent….he needs to be freed and the real killer locked up….
This makes no sense. You don’t think he did something that happened years before because of how his life was at the present time. Like, huh?
I agree. Do you know who it was that the victim supposedly called the morning she went missing? I heard sister in law, but which one? And what about the side chick who had blood in her bedroom? Was there evidence of her nose ring getting pulled out? That would leave a mark, right?
Did not care much for her either-his accomplice? If so I wish she would talk…
It would appear He had these poor girls hooked on meth and they so desperate, they prostitute themselves for him, sleep with him for a quick fix
Observations:
1: if he shot/beat her in the house, there would be DNA (in house or on bullet)
2:was cell phone records verified and tower triangulation done to confirm she was at his house or in vicinity?
3: if the friend helped bury her body, why couldn’t her remains be found? (7 years is a long time I know)
These three would cause reasonable doubt in my mind. Is he innocent? Maybe maybe not. Was it proved beyond a reasonable doubt? No.