A decade-old murder case in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, has finally seen a development as a suspect was recently detained in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Mary K. Ballard, aged 68, was apprehended yesterday morning shortly after 8:30 a.m. at a residence on Sisson Road. According to KLFY, Ballard is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the 2012 death of Barbara Durant, who was 54 at the time of her demise. The arrest was a collaborative effort involving local deputies and the United States Marshals Fugitive Apprehension Team.
Ballard, who had been residing in Natchitoches Parish for several years, is now being held at the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center awaiting extradition to Oklahoma. In a Facebook post mentioned by KSLA, Major J. Byles from the Natchitoches Parish sheriff’s criminal investigations division expressed his hopes, "We hope this arrest will bring some form of closure to the victim's family." Ballard's indictment comes as a result of a protracted investigation led by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI).
The case revolves around the tragic shooting of Barbara Durant, whose body was discovered over a decade ago in Oklahoma. While details of the investigation remain reserved, Ballard's apprehension shines a light on the relentless pursuit of justice, irrespective of time's passage. On her charges, she faces being an out-of-state fugitive in addition to first-degree murder.
Ballard's alleged accomplice, Billy Thomason, age 49, was already in custody on unrelated charges, further complicating the legacy of a case that has haunted the people of McAlester, Okla for years. As reported by KFOR, Thomason, along with Ballard were charged with first-degree murder this past Friday through the Pittsburg County district attorney's office.
