Man jailed in neighbor’s death
An Oklahoma City man has been jailed in the death of another man, police reported.
Joel Stephen White, 56, of Oklahoma City, was found dead in an apartment Saturday evening in the 5800 block of NW 34, police reported.
Officers arrested Rufus Elvin Townsend, 63, of Oklahoma City, at the scene.
Townsend was booked into Oklahoma County jail early Sunday and is being held without bond. Townsend is listed in jail records as Rufus Elvin Cudjoe.
Investigators don’t yet know why Townsend killed White, said Master Sgt. Gary Knight, a police department spokesman. The two were neighbors at the apartment complex, he said.
Townsend told investigators he was at White’s apartment that day to drink vodka. At one point, he left the apartment for 15 minutes, he told police. He said White was dead when he returned, police reported in a court affidavit.
When asked if he killed White, Townsend said he “did not know” and he “blacked out,” according to the affidavit.
Townsend’s necklace was found at White’s apartment, police reported. He also had blood on his jeans and socks when he flagged down the officers who were in the area on another call, according to the affidavit.
Anyone with information about the 38th homicide of the year in Oklahoma City can call police on a tip line at 405-297-1200.