Tulsa, OK: Suspect had links to missing woman

by: NICOLE MARSHALL World Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
2/10/2010 5:06:00 AM

The man police arrested on Monday in his ex-girlfriend's home with what they called a "murder kit" also has been investigated in the disappearance of a woman who has been missing since 2007 and is feared dead.

Allen Shields, 33, was booked into the Tulsa Jail on Monday evening on complaints of possession of a firearm while in the commission of a felony, assault with a deadly weapon, first-degree burglary and two complaints of kidnapping.

He is accused of breaking into his ex-girlfriend's house with a gun, handcuffs, narcotics, a mask and disinfectant wipes that police believe he might have planned to use to kidnap and possibly kill his ex-girlfriend and her 9-year-old daughter.

Detective Vic Regalado said Shields had made threats against the woman along the lines of, "If I can't have you, no one will."

"She completely believed he was going to kill her," Regalado said. "He was found in possession of items indicating that he planned to kidnap or kill them both."

Shields, whose first name is spelled Alan in some records, posted $90,000 bond and was released from jail about 1 a.m. Tuesday, Tulsa Jail records show.

Prosecutors later filed charges against him, and at their request a judge strengthened the bond to $1.25 million. Police were searching for him later Tuesday to arrest him on the charges.

Shields was previously investigated in connection with Angie Tucker's disappearance in November 2007.

He was arrested Oct. 6, 2007, after Tucker reported that he had raped her. Tucker then filed for a protective order against him, citing the attack, police and court records show.

However, prosecutors said there was not enough evidence to charge Shields with the sexual assault.

Tucker, a mother of two, disappeared one month later. Police believe that she met with foul play, but no trace of her has ever been found.

"There are similarities between those two cases," Sgt. Mike Huff said, adding that Tucker's missing-person case remains under investigation.

Like Tucker, the woman targeted Monday evening had filed for an emergency protective order against Shields.

She filed for the protective order Feb. 17, 2009, alleging that he came to her house and then got mad because she didn't want him to touch her. She said he choked her to the point that she thought she was going to pass out, the record states.

Police believe that the woman's 9-year-old daughter might have saved both of their lives Monday by quickly calling 911 and maintaining her composure while talking to a police dispatcher. Regalado said the girl did an outstanding job.

"And officers took immediate action because of the immediate threat to kill both her (the woman) and the child and forced entry to apprehend the suspect," Regalado said.

Police think Shields broke into the victims' house in the 5000 block of North Utica Place and waited for as long as 13 hours for them to come home.

When they arrived, he sprayed the woman with pepper spray, and the girl locked herself in a bathroom with a telephone and called 911, police said. Officers arrived within minutes.

Sgt. Brian Hill and Officers Todd Henley, Matt McCord, Will Toliver, Danny Bean, Travis Taverna and Ken Simpson entered the residence and rescued the woman and child. Toliver kicked through both a glass door and a security door to get inside, Hill said.

Officers Gary Upton and Shane Pryce watched the back of the house and provided the other officers with information that the attacker might be trying to escape, Hill said.

The officers rushed into the home when the girl told the dispatcher that she thought Shields was going to kill them.

After police took Shields into custody, they found what they described as a "kidnap/murder kit" containing a handgun, pepper spray, a particulate mask, pepper spray-decontamination wipes, handcuffs and medications that could be used to promote sleep, an arrest report shows.

Huff said detectives "are interested in anything that anyone can tell us about the tragedy that was averted last night. We are trying to make that case as strong as it can be.

"Also, we are seeking information about the continuing investigation of the disappearance of Angie Tucker," he said.

Huff asked that anyone with information about either case call Crime Stoppers at 596-COPS or send a text message or an online tip to the Tulsa Police Department at tulsaworld.com/crimestoppersemail.

Nicole Marshall 581-8459
nicole.marshall@tulsaworld.com