Fox and Fowler

Monsters, dear Readers, are a grizzly business. For those who hunt them, for those who study the monsters, and those who write about monsters. But what is a monster? Do they just hide under the bed or the closet as so often in our childhoods?

I will start with; I know what a monster is to me. I have my own perception of monsters based on the facts that have been previously presented to me by many sources, including my own nightmares. Those like Ann Burgess, John Douglass, and Robert Ressler. These only make up a small handful of the dozens of monster hunters and keepers out there. Monster hunters here in Oklahoma to have seen some very dark nightmares.

Here in Oklahoma, we have seen some very heinous creatures, monsters with a slow drawl and a thick wit. Yet they somehow manage to be savage monsters. Devouring dark clouds passing through the Oklahoma landscape leaving its blood trail behind.

Take the case of Billy Ray Fox and Mark Andrew Fowler. They blamed each other at trial for the murders. They were both monsters, my dear Readers. Such a gruesome crime. The body of John Barrier was defiled so that it had to be identified with his dental records. This was 1980s Oklahoma. Those two had some deeply lurking monsters.

If one of them was really upset, then why not be the first to the cop station or part ways and run? Both of two creatures did neither. Since the next day was the 4th of July, they chose to throw a party. Now you must be pretty dumb and really super dark, very sick really to throw a party the day after in a small town like Edmond. Back in the 1980s Edmond was still growing. Oklahoma was really just a big sprawling mass of small towns and even small townships, little blink spots in the road. That really hasn’t changed much.

Industrial evolution in Oklahoma has been stunted off and on for years. After the oil bust, there was almost a comeback. If politics and the people could truly meet in the middle this would be a hell of a state to reckon with, right now we are just barely playing in the pee-wee leagues at best.

Monsters, yes, they were, my dear Readers! Lurking in the darkness, they chose to rob an all-night grocery store. They were not wearing masks, Dear Readers. What exactly does one do with eyewitnesses? These two could blame each other, but it seemed very monstrous, the answer. One or both went inside that store with an intent to kill.

These two creatures borrowed shotguns around 2:30 A.M. on July 3rd, 1985 from their roommates. I don’t understand why their roommates handed over the shotguns or didn’t just question it more? I mean, if I’m woke up in the middle of the night and asked for a firearm I’m going to be demanding to know what for and why, right Reader? Someone better have a really good explanation for what is really going on. I’m just not nice enough, Folks. Anyway, they borrowed these weapons with dark, not so good intentions in mind as they left the house they shared with the roommates that loaned the shotguns.

Fox and Fowler then drove to the Wynn’s IGA grocery store in Edmond where they lived. Talk about being stupid! They didn’t even bother to go somewhere that was away from where they lived, like Oklahoma City. Really, Reader, the sheer idiocy of these two just takes the cake on planning a crime.

At the IGA they get three of the employees that were on duty, at the time, in the back of the store. Two of the employees were shot to death. The third, Readers, well that was much more hands on. One of them beat the face of John Barrier in and stabbed him about the neck, chest, sides and back. This attack was vicious and personal. Fox blamed Fowler and Fowler blamed Fox, with no one to prove who actually did the deed, it wasn’t certain which one might have acted alone, and so it was noted in trial they acted together.

During the trial, for Fox there was the claim of a drug informant from an Officer Hill who worked for the Oklahoma City PD. This informant’s name was never found out, and wasn’t available according to the prosecution due to the fact that they didn’t have any idea who it was either. The informant claimed that he had overhear Fowler claim he had committed all 3 murders. Which seems just as reasonable as Fox committing all three murders.

Readers, Fox didn’t have the stamina or the brain power to keep his mouth shut about anything really. Later that money when the event came on the news, Fox confessed to his roommates what he had done. Tell me something, if you had just used your friends’ shotguns to commit armed robbery and murder, would you sit there on the couch and tell them? I’m not so sure I would be running my mouth about anything. It’s a keeping secrets kind of day, right Reader?

The total take of the robbery was around $2,700 total. So, they killed three people, one in a very gruesome fashion. They didn’t have a plan and didn’t go on the run with the money they had, which back in 1985 might have gotten them out of the state before they were caught, if they had lit a fire and hot footed it. But as you remember, they didn’t do that at all, instead they had a party.

Monsters lurk and monstrousness are acted upon. These two were caught and sentenced to death for their crimes. Fowler shuffled off this mortal coil on January 23rd, 2001 and Fox shuffled off this mortal coil the 25th of January 2001. These Monsters were seen for what they were, but how many monsters were around them? How much darkness did they boil up from the depths to inspire other monsters?