On January 15, 2024, investigators from the Love County Sheriff's Office in Oklahoma, along with counterparts from the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, Texas DPS CID, and the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office, successfully recovered the body of Stephanie Loftin. Loftin had been reported missing in Lamar County, Texas, on December 6th, 2023.
The investigation led authorities to an abandoned rental vehicle registered to Loftin in Stephens County on December 14th. Further inquiries connected Loftin and the vehicle to a suspect identified as Michael Gonzalez. Investigators from both counties collaborated over the past few weeks to piece together the case, discovering that Loftin had been shot and killed by her estranged boyfriend in the southern portion of Love County. Her body was then buried in the western part of the county on the night of December 3rd into the morning of December 4th.
Following the crime, Gonzalez fled the state to California in an attempt to evade capture. The LAPD arrested him, and he was subsequently extradited back to Oklahoma. Currently facing Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle charges in Stephens County and 1st Degree Murder in Love County, Gonzalez is in custody.
The successful resolution of this case is credited to the collaborative efforts of multiple agencies, including the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Gainesville Police Department, Los Angeles Police Department, United States Secret Service, Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division, Frisco Police Department, Polk County Sheriff’s Office in Florida, Oklahoma Medical Examiners Office, United States Marshals, and the Love County Sheriff’s Office.
Special recognition was given to Lt. Tim Vann of the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office for his diligence in following up on the case beyond locating the abandoned vehicle. Additionally, Investigator’s Brad Clark, Nigel Sewell, and Undersheriff Trent Daniel from the Love County Sheriff’s Office were commended for their dedication to solving the case.
While the investigation is ongoing with pending charges, the information is provided to maintain transparency. Authorities assure the community that they are working with prosecutors to ensure that the suspect faces justice for the heinous crime.
