Okla. Teen Vanished in October and Odd Messages Came From Her Phone — Now Boyfriend Is Arrested
The boyfriend of an Oklahoma teen who vanished in late October before disconcerting messages were sent from her phone has been arrested in the case.
On Thursday, Tanner Washington, 24, of Pauls Valley, was arrested on a warrant for first-degree murder at a 7-Eleven in Del City in connection with the disappearance of Faith Lindsey, 17, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation says in a statement.
Authorities are continuing to search for Lindsey’s body, local station KFOR reports.
Lindsey was last seen on October 28 in Pauls Valley, where she was living with Washington, KFOR reports.
On Nov. 4, her family reported her missing, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI), local stations KXII, Oklahoma News 4 and The Shawnee News-Star report.
“It just doesn’t make sense,” her sister, Justice Lindsey, told Oklahoma News 4. “This isn’t like Faith at all.”
On Nov. 4, Washington texted Justice saying he couldn’t find her and was “freaking out,” the outlet reported.
RELATED: ‘It Just Wasn’t Her’: Okla. Teen Is Missing After Sister Received Misspelled Texts From Her Phone
Shortly after, Justice started receiving texts from Faith’s phone with messages that just didn’t feel right, she says.
“She was misspelling a lot of things that night,” Justice told News 4. “That just wasn’t her.”
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
One of the messages indicated that Faith was with someone who wouldn’t take her home, Justice told the outlet.
Justice also received phone calls from Faith’s phone for a while after she went missing. “She kept trying to call me a lot, but hang up as soon as I answered,” Justice told News 4. “I have a gut feeling something did happen to her.”
In early November, Washington was arrested for allegedly lying to police about what had happened to Lindsey, KFOR reports.
“He reported that he had received a text message that she had been shot,” Seminole County Undersheriff Matt Haley told the outlet.
When his story allegedly started to “fall apart,” Washington admitted to making up the story about receiving a message about Faith being shot, Haley said.
Washington was arrested and charged with false reporting of a crime and obstruction of an officer.
Washington is being held at the Oklahoma County Jail without bond. It is unclear if he has entered pleas to the charges against him or if he has retained an attorney who can speak on his behalf.
Anyone with information about Faith’s whereabouts is asked to contact the OSBI at (800) 522-8017 or tips@osbi.ok.gov.
