Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation   Stan Florence  Director   Jessica Brown Public Information Director

05/13/11                 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE           

Investigators Still Work to Solve Murder after Two Years

May 14, 2009, Joe Neff, 61, was reported missing after an employee of Neff’s Long Branch Saloon near Poteau found a large amount of blood on the floor of the bar. The LeFlore County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and requested OSBI assist in the investigation.

An OSBI Crime Scene Agent processed the scene for evidence while other law enforcement, including several agents, searched for Neff’s whereabouts. For several days, dozens of people scoured the area for Neff, hoping he was still alive. However, May 17th, a fisherman found Neff’s body in a strip pit approximately 30 miles from the bar near Pocola. Neff had been shot to death. Investigators believe his body had been in the water for several days.

This case is far from cold. Over the past two years, investigators have run numerous leads searching for Neff’s killer. If anyone has information about this case, please contact the OSBI at 1-800-522-8017 or the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Office.