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Families ask Weatherford council to release records and authorize independent audit of 1983 double-homicide
Summary
At citizen comments, three speakers urged the council to release autopsy and police records and to authorize a third-party independent audit (state or FBI) of the 1983 murders of Shelly Cauliflower and Vincent Tierino, saying local families have waited 43 years for answers.
Three residents used the meeting's citizen-comment period to press the Weatherford City Council to help reopen and review an unsolved 1983 double homicide.
Jamie Snow read a statement on behalf of Raymond Tierina, criticizing the Weatherford Police Department's handling of investigations into the deaths of 14-year-old Shelly Cauliflower and 16-year-old Vincent Tierino and saying the family had received limited follow-up over decades: "Where is our family's justice?" the statement read.
Lori Cates told the council the families had repeatedly requested records and had been denied. Cates accused investigators of mishandling evidence, said the passage of time reduced privacy concerns, and asked council to direct the city manager and city attorney to prioritize release of autopsy reports and police records and to authorize an independent third-party audit of the case, ideally by the state or the FBI.
Johnetta Smith (formerly Johnetta Cauliflower), who identified herself as Shelly's mother, urged the council to place the audit request on the next meeting agenda and to bring "fresh eyes" to the case: "We need new eyes on this case. I don't care who it is, if it's the FBI... We need new eyes on this case," she said.
The comment period ended with no council action recorded on the record; speakers asked that the item be placed on a future agenda for a vote and for further action by the city manager and city attorney.
Why it matters: The public appeals raise questions about transparency around old investigations and ask the council to consider records release and an independent review. The requests, if pursued, would implicate the police department and possibly outside agencies and could prompt additional legal and procedural steps before any release or audit occurs.
