Oklahoma lawmaker files bill in honor of missing Welch girls

May 20, 2023

The legislation would require people who are an accessory to murder to serve 85% of their sentence.

The legislation would require people who are an accessory to murder to serve 85% of their sentence.

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The legislation would require people who are an accessory to murder to serve 85% of their sentence.

An Oklahoma lawmaker filed a bill in honor of two girls who went missing out of Welch over 20 years ago.

The legislation would require people who are an accessory to murder to serve 85% of their sentence.

| MORE | The Welch Girls: A look inside the decades-old Oklahoma cold case

"It's just a travesty to them. They’re having to relive all this over again. They at least found some solace that this person, found somebody, was going to pay for the crimes he committed, but yet, he's out," said state Rep. Steve Bashore, R-Miami.

Bashore explained why he filed House Bill 2946, named Lauria and Ashley's Law. The two girls went missing from Welch back in 1999.

KOCO 5 spoke with Lorene Bible, Lauria's mother, when the last living suspect in the case walked out of prison last month.

"I need him to know that he may be off, he may be able to go wherever he wants to, but my child can't. So, you need to look behind you because I'm going to be there. You know where my child is. You know who did this," Bible said.

Ronnie Busick, who was convicted of being an accessory to murder, was released early because of good behavior despite the victim's family still not knowing where the girls are located. It was what inspired Bashore to file legislation.

"If you’re convicted of accessory to murder one, accessory to murder two, you will serve 85% of the sentence imposed and you will not be eligible to earn any credits for good behavior, as well," Bashore said.

| MORE | 'Your life stops': Mother of missing Welch girl speaks after tragedy in Henryetta

Bashore's hope, as well as the family's, is for no other victim's family to have to go through something similar.

"They are the driving force behind this and wanting to find justice, and they’re just hoping this does not happen to someone else, so that was the real reason to file this. We can't do anything for what happened in the past, but we can going forward," Bashore said.

While the legislation was just filed, it won't begin the legislative process until the next session starts in February 2024.

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