It’s been almost 50 years since Mary (Hoshall) Harrison’s family and friends learned of the tragic news that would change their lives forever.

On Jan. 8, 1977, a gruesome scene was discovered at her rural home northwest of Kingfisher.

The 62-year-old widow had been brutally stabbed over 40 times and was nearly decapitated in what has been described as a rage killing.

Recollecting that day, Ralph Harrison said it’s one of those moments you never forget.

“We had gone to Amarillo on Friday to visit my brother. When my dad called us on Saturday we were just dumbfounded,” Ralph said.

“Things like that didn’t happen in our area.”

Ralph is a nephew to Mary.

His father, George, was the only brother of Mary’s late husband, Ronald, who died at the early age of 38, leaving her to raise two daughters, Mariruth and Marjorie, on the farm.

Both daughters are now deceased.

Mary also worked for the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service in Kingfisher for 20 years, retiring just two years prior to her murder.

“They lived right up the road, about a quarter- mile from where my folks lived at the time and the house I grew up in,” Ralph said.

Ralph and his wife, Denise, also lived close by, with three families within less than a halfmile distance from each other, he said.

On that cold, snowy January day, Ralph said he remembers that his father had been out checking on the farm when he saw Mary’s screen door blowing in the wind.

He went to check it out and discovered the scene, then called the Kingfisher County Sheriff’s Department.

At the time, Sheriff Coye Barker was in charge of the investigation and called in the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to assist.

Law enforcement officials collected evidence and photographed and documented information from the scene, with much still remaining in their possession today.

During that time, leads were followed up on, but no suspects were charged.

Eventually serial killer Henry Lee Lucas confessed and was charged with Mary’s murder in 1984. However, charges were dropped seven years later when his confession was debunked (as were hundreds of other confessions he made).

The case then went cold and has remained unsolved up to this day.

Motivated to bring closure to the Mary’s family, Oklahoma Cold Cases has put a spotlight on the unsolved murder case as its 2025-26 Case of the Year, Special Projects and Communications Director Robin Sanders said.

The nonprofit organization is dedicated to raising awareness of unsolved murder, missing and unknown victim cases in Oklahoma with hopes of bringing justice for victims and their families.

Mary Harrison’s family is very involved in trying to find answers and get her case resolved, Sanders said.

“We’ve spoken to about eight family members that are actively involved in pursuing this.They still mourn her and still have that pain,” she said.

The pain of that day has left its mark on generations of the Harrison family, Sanders added.

“One elderly relative recalled the horrific task of cleaning Mary’s home after police released it back to the family,” she said.

“Nearly half a century later, he wept as he relived the experience.”

Family members described Mary as “a tough lady, but very loving, lively and funny,” Sanders added.

Working in conjunction with the sheriff’s department, Sanders said local law enforcement has never forgotten about Mary Harrison and are still working on the case.

KCSO Lt. Mike Shults has put a renewed focus on the case.

“The case was never closed and the sheriff’s offi ce would like to see closure for the family,” Shults said.

Currently, Shults is reviewing evidence provided by OSBI, reaching out to people from the reports and will be working in conjunction with OSBI’s cold case team in the future in an attempt to bring resolution for the family.

“I’m hoping if somebody knows something, they will get in touch with me or Sheriff Aaron Pitts,” Shults said.

“This office, past and present, has never given up on this.”

At the time of Mary’s death, her adult daughter Marjorie lived with her and Mariruth had married and moved away.

Authorities speculated the murder occurred Friday night or early Saturday morning while Marjorie was away at a horse show. A horse enthusiast and 4-H Horse Club leader, Marjorie spent a great deal of time working with children and young adults teaching riding lessons and hosting club meetings at their house, while also boarding horses at their property. One of those 4-H Club members, Terrie Wollard, who was tagging along since the age of 7, before she was even old enough to join, shared her memories of back then.

Wollard was 18 years old when Mary was murdered and recalled that time as a time of disbelief.

“It was just a horrible thing. I remember it affected a lot of kids, because we all knew them so well,” she said.

Wollard also shared fond memories of her childhood time spent with Mary and Marjorie.

She recalled Mary as “outspoken, loud and happy.”

They were so much alike and always had a smile on their faces, Wollard added.

“Mary was just real jolly and always had a big smile on her face and, you know, like the wonderful grandma that you go see…that’s how she was,” Wollard said.

“I remember you always could smell food cooking.. that’s why we always thought she was the perfect grandma.

“When you walked in she would say ‘You look hungry.’” After almost 50 years of wondering, Wollard said she hopes the renewed publicity will prompt people to recall old family conversations or share details previously kept private.

“It’s been too long,” Wollard said.

“I’ve wondered about it my whole life, every time I drive by there it goes over and over in my mind what must have happened or who it was.”

With a renewed spotlight on the case, Sanders said, “We would ask anyone who has information or thinks they may know something to think hard about what a benefit this would be to the family to give them some answers and some peace.”

Even if the perpetrator is deceased, the family would like to know who did it, so they could have peace, Sanders said.

OKCC’s slogan “silence is betrayal” reflects the reality that often someone has information that could help solve a case and withholding the information is a betrayal of the victim and their loved ones, Sanders added.

As Ralph recalled the close family ties with Mary and her family, he remembered Mary picking him and his siblings up to take them to school for a period of time as she also dropped off her own daughters and went to work.

Other memories of Mary that he shared was of her strong-willed and independent nature, raising two kids on the farm by herself.

With his parents living just down the road, Ralph said his mom was particularly close with Mary.

Being married to brothers and living a quarter-mile apart, Ralph said his mother and Mary would often get together for coffee, particularly on a regular basis after Mary’s retirement.

“It affected both my parents, but I think it affected my mom a lot because she was such good friends with Mary,” he said.

As the suspect’s (or suspects’) identity and the motive remains a mystery, Ralph reflected on the fact that Mary lived a very modest lifestyle and it didn’t appear to be a burglary.

He also stated he couldn’t think of anyone who had issues with Mary personally and would have exhibited that type of rage against her.

The question remains “who could have done this? and, even bigger, why?” Ralph said.

“Her daughters would have been the ones that really felt it and I know it weighed on them.”

Everybody was just at a loss as far as why anybody would do something like that, Ralph commented.

Shults said the sheriff’s department is diligently trying to solve the case for the family.

It’s been 49 years and they deserve to know who killed Mary, he said.

“Wouldn’t you want to know? Wouldn’t you want closure if it was your family? She deserves justice the best we can provide 50 years later,” Shults said.

“We’ve never let this go and each year is another year longer. We’re just trying to put fresh eyes on it and see if there’s anything that’s been missed….to get closure on the case, so Mary can rest in peace knowing justice for her has been served.”

A lot of time has passed, a lot of family members have gone on now and the person who did it may have passed away, too, but at this point it would give the family some closure just to know, Ralph said.

“If somebody is out there that knows something, it’s time to come forward and do the right thing, to let the family at least know what happened,” he said.

If anyone has information they can contact Lt. Mike Shults at the Kingfisher County Sheriff’s Office at 405-375-4242.

People who knew Mary are also encouraged to share their stories with OKCC by contacting rsanders@oklahomacoldcases. org.