Tulsa Race Massacre search finds two more gunshot victims; sixth Oaklawn season ends

TULSA, Okla. (Nov. 6) — The city of Tulsa announced the end of the sixth excavation season at Oaklawn Cemetery and said two more individuals with ballistic trauma were identified, bringing the total number of gunshot victims found there to 10, NewsOn6 reported.

Crews documented 47 previously unmarked graves this season — 34 in Block L and 13 in Block M — KTUL reported. Thirteen of the graves were outside the cemetery fence, and 12 of those sat under a walking trail. All of the outside-fence burials were exhumed, NewsOn6 and KTUL reported.

Forensic anthropologist Phoebe Stubblefield of the University of Florida and State Archaeologist Kary Stackelbeck led the scientific work. Nine sets of exhumed remains that meet the project's criteria have been sent for DNA testing, according to NewsOn6.

Brenda Nails-Alford, a descendant of massacre survivors, told NewsOn6 she is proud of the search. Mayor Monroe Nichols noted it has been eight years since the investigation began under then-Mayor G.T. Bynum. More than 300 previously unknown burials have been documented since the project started, and one confirmed massacre victim, C.L. Daniel, has been identified, NewsOn6 reported in its 6 Things summary and related coverage.