OSBI Finds No Foul Play in Death of Sayre Senate Candidate

News | September 25, 2026, 11:18 AM by Paragon Staff

Sayre, OK – The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation says its investigation into the death of former Oklahoma State Senate candidate Barry Christian found no evidence of foul play, and the case has been closed without criminal charges.

Christian was reported missing in late April after he was last seen April 28 in Sayre. His vehicle was located by Beckham County deputies around 9:45 a.m. April 30 in the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Management Area south of Erick. OSBI agents processing the scene found Christian's body inside the vehicle.

Christian was a candidate for Oklahoma Senate District 38 at the time of his death. An August report from the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined Christian died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and ruled his death a suicide. The Penny News

According to a Sept. 24 release from the OSBI, investigators treated Christian's death as a homicide during the investigation to determine whether there was evidence another person was involved. Investigators developed and followed several leads before determining there was no actionable indication of foul play.

District 2 District Attorney Angela Marsee said her office worked closely with the OSBI and reviewed the agency's prosecutorial report along with the medical examiner's findings.

Marsee said early indications that the fatal wound was self-inflicted were challenged and tested during the investigation rather than automatically accepted. She said investigators also pursued questions raised by Christian's family and located and interviewed potential witnesses and persons of interest identified by family members. Those individuals were either interviewed or eliminated as suspects.

According to Marsee, the evidence showed Christian died from a single gunshot wound and that physical evidence and conditions at the scene were inconsistent with another person being responsible for his death.

"The evidence does not support the filing of criminal charges against any person," Marsee said. "No arrests have been made and I am closing this matter as inactive and without charges."

Marsee said the investigation could be reopened if credible, legally admissible new evidence becomes available indicating another person caused Christian's death.

OSBI agents and Marsee met with members of Christian's family before publicly announcing the decision. Authorities thanked the Sayre Police Department, Beckham County Sheriff's Office, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for their assistance with the investigation.