07/20/2026
William and Leota Huls resided on a rural farm in Craig County, Oklahoma. William, a former self-employed mechanic, and Leota, a retired nurse, had established a life together. Unfortunately, their simple life was disrupted when William sustained an injury around the year 2000, leading to a botched surgery that left him with severe cognitive impairment equivalent to that of an 18-month-old child. He required lifelong wheelchair assistance due to this injury.
In response to this tragedy, Leota pursued legal action against the hospital, securing compensation that enabled them to adapt their home to William's needs and enable her to care for him full-time, thus avoiding a care facility. To ensure William's safety, keypad locks were installed on their doors, preventing him from wandering into danger.
Despite her declining health, exacerbated by multiple strokes, Leota remained dedicated to her husband's care. The couple maintained a consistent routine of attending church services, where they shared a long-standing friendship with the pastor. However, on Sunday, November 9, 2008, they failed to appear for their usual service. Concerned because of their health conditions, their daughter Malinda dispatched a close family friend and employee to check on them. Tragically, their bodies were discovered inside their home. Both William and Leota had been fatally shot in the head. William's life had been cut short while he was having breakfast, seated at the table. Leota's body lay in the adjacent room. Her purse was conspicuously present with money inside gone, and no evidence of a forced entry was apparent. At the time of their deaths, William was 67 and Leota was 66 years old.
Malinda stated that her mother would never open the door for an unfamiliar face. The house contained a firearm and a secure room intended for her mother's safety in case of any perceived threat. Malinda suspected that the murders were committed by someone familiar to the couple and that the motive stemmed from the funds within the hospital settlement trust.
Despite annual appeals for information and reminders of the substantial rewards offered for details, this case has remained shrouded in mystery. Malinda, their daughter, emerged as the primary advocate for her parents' case, sharing her belief about the responsible party while acknowledging the lack of concrete evidence.
The family has established a reward fund totaling $15,000 for information, with contributions of $5,000 from the family itself and $10,000 from the OSBI. William and Leota Huls are featured in the OSBI/DOC cold case playing cards as the king and queen of hearts, their story becoming part of a larger effort to solve long-standing mysteries.
If you know anything about the Huls' murder, please contact the OSBI at (800) 522-8017 or [email protected].
