A NEWLYWED has been charged in the disappearance and death of his wife, Cassidy Ritchie, who was found dead in the back of her car.
His arrest came after Tulsa Police announced on Sunday that they were investigating Ritchie's death as a homicide.
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Chris Morland, Ritchie’s husband, had been named a person of interest in the case and appeared to have been charged with murder in the first degree on Monday, according to jail records reviewed by The U.S. Sun.
He had been in custody in Tulsa County since Thursday for a separate warrant out of Texas.
Morland and Ritchie had been married since January 7, according to CBS affiliate KTUL.
Detectives found the body of Ritchie, 39, underneath clothing in the back of her car off Highway 412 between Tulsa and Inola on Sunday.
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She had been missing and out of contact with her family since January 20, according to police.
Law enforcement has said that the Oklahoma woman was involved in “prior domestic violence incidents.”
Lt. Brandon Watkins told Fox affiliate KOKI-TV that the department is still awaiting a report from the Medical Examiner’s Office to determine how Ritchie died.
Joey David, Ritchie’s son, confirmed his mother’s passing in a Facebook post.
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“Our mother has been found. Unfortunately, she is no longer with us. We cannot say anything more as it is an ongoing investigation,” he wrote.
“Thank you to everyone who took the time out of their day yesterday to help search for her. Thank you to all the friends, family, and strangers who came out, and thank you to everyone who has kept us in your thoughts and prayers. Please give my family and I privacy as we deal with the grieving process."
Family members have indicated that Ritchie and Morland’s relationship might have changed after the recent wedding.
Ritchie’s brother, Kyle, told NBC affiliate KJRH that his sister was “so happy on her wedding day.”
“I don’t know if she was just too scared, too scared to say anything. (Morland) just was a whole different person after the marriage,” he said.
The Tulsa Police Department did not immediately respond to The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.
Morland is scheduled to appear in court to face the murder charge on Tuesday, according to jail records.
In 2021, Morland was previously charged with assault-family violence in connection with his then wife, according to the Times Record News.
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The charge was reportedly dismissed in 2023 due to lack of cooperation with the victim and police.
Anyone with information about Ritchie’s death and the events surrounding has been asked to call Tulsa Crime Stoppers at 918-596-2677.
