Allegedly: True Crime from Pontotoc County

by Raven Rollins, Gary Perkinson (Foreword)

**2nd Place Winner, Bookfest Awards, 2025 Nonfiction - True Crime**
**Finalist, Best Book Awards, American Bookfest, 2025 Nonfiction - True Crime**

Look into Pontotoc County, Oklahoma's past through this true crime memoir.

“[Allegedly] is amazing. So professional. So well-researched. So well written. I'm seriously blown away.”- Marnie Vinge, Thriller Author (“Crazy For You,” & “For Rosie”)

From the chillingly intimate to the tragically preventable, this true crime memoir exposes the raw realities of crime in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma. Each case, from brutal murders to the heartbreaking consequences of impaired driving, offers a unique and compelling glimpse into the dark side of human nature, captivating true crime enthusiasts of all kinds.

The book explores the broader social and historical context of Pontotoc County, and while the subject matter is often disturbing, the narrative offers a glimmer of hope, highlighting the resilience of survivors and the pursuit of justice.

Raven, with a personal connection to the county and some of its victims and perpetrators, offers a raw and unflinching account of these tragic events. Uncover the shocking tales of vigilante justice, wrongful convictions, and senseless tragedies. Explore the lives lost too soon and some of the new laws born from these heartbreaking events with a Pontotoc County Native, family members, and experts who worked these cases.

Find this book in East Central University's course "True Crime Narratives of Justice," Fall 2025!

Genres: True Crime

346 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 21, 2025

About the author

Raven Rollins is a P.I. turned investigative journalist and victim advocate. Raven Rollins is a true crime author and the voice behind Sirens | A Southern True Crime Podcast. Known for her fearless pursuit of the truth and deep empathy for victims and their families, Raven specializes in cold cases, suspicious deaths, and forgotten crimes, particularly those rooted in the American South like her home state of Oklahoma. Her writing blends meticulous reporting with emotional storytelling, giving voice to the silenced and shining light on cases long ignored.

Raven’s work has reignited public interest in several unsolved cases, drawing attention from regional media and law enforcement. Her books, including "Sins of the South: Three Oklahoma Cold Cases" and "Allegedly: True Crime from Pontotoc County, Oklahoma," are praised for their investigative depth, compassionate tone, and narrative style.

When she’s not digging through court records, old autopsy files, or hosting panel discussions with victims’ families, Raven continues to advocate for justice—one case at a time.

Raven resides in Oklahoma with her husband, Rick, son, English bulldog, Shih-Tzu, and Tortie cat, Nyx.

Reviews

[Courteney Harrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a lover of true crime I devoured this book. It is a concise & respectful collection of our little towns long history of crime, unimaginable loss and search for justice.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Gripping and Compassionate True Crime Collection

Allegedly is more than just a collection of true crime cases—it’s a hauntingly intimate look at the darkest moments in our community’s history. As someone who grew up in the same county where these cases unfolded, I found myself deeply immersed in the stories. Some were familiar, others shocking revelations, but all were meticulously researched and masterfully told.

What sets this book apart is its balance of factual storytelling and heartfelt advocacy for the victims. The author handles each case carefully, ensuring that the focus remains on the lives affected rather than sensationalizing the crimes. Recognizing the settings and even some of the names added an eerie personal layer to the reading experience, making it all the more compelling.

If you’re a fan of true crime and appreciate well-crafted narratives that prioritize empathy over spectacle, Allegedly is a must-read. It’s both a chilling and necessary reminder of the tragedies that have shaped our community.

[Kelly Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much…..which it weird to say given the nature but let me explain
True Crime is my jam, it fascinates me, to be a part of a true crime podcast would be legit…….but this book intrigued me on a different level since I am from and live in Oklahoma.
While I didn’t know much about Ada as a kid I did know people from there, my nephews mother was raised in Ada, her mother was a nurse for years at the hospital, so to think of the connections she might of also had with those in this book is interesting
Raven wrote this book so well and respectful of all involved and had a lot of information to back up each story.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge of these events!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was respectfully done. It was painful to read the stories surrounding crimes that took place in my hometown, of which, I knew many of the victims and their families. This read, written by a friend and former school mate, makes me proud of the work she has done to shed light of the true crime stories and to give the victims a voice.

[Sarah Loster-Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is made for true crime junkies, especially those looking to dive into some things they may not have heard of before. This book cover stories out of Pontotoc County, OK. We hear from some of the individuals that actually worked on the cases, giving a rare insight not always seen.

[Joe Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raven Rollins knows how to get a reader’s attention, and she does it from the first pages of Allegedly with a tale from Oklahoma’s roughshod days before statehood. Just like western movies, the real west was the stage for vigilante justice, everyday citizens appointing themselves judge, jury and executioner. But Killer Miller, in Ada, Oklahoma, may be the only bad guy to meet his end exactly the way Miller greets his in Allegedly.
That unique, cautionary tale makes it clear that the real criminals, the culprits who did the crime, the ones who helped, and the ones who tried to conceal the truth, are always hard to know. Harder to prove. And in Allegedly, Rollins takes her readers on a journey through some of the most compelling cases imaginable. She reveals unimaginable motives. Plots and methods and cover-ups no sane mind could conceive. Public officials at the heart of cases, some scoundrels, violating the public trust, and some heroes, doggedly pursuing justice. Clues, leads, and evidence that might free the innocent or ensnare the guilty.
As always, Raven Rollins sees crime through the eyes of the victims, their families, friends, and communities. She invites us to feel the wide-reaching and long-lasting effects of every criminal act. She’s a relentless researcher, pulling first-person stories from law enforcement officers who’d often rather not remember. She does it so we’ll all know. And to remind us that any of us might know something, the tiniest clue, that would bring closure to someone, somewhere, who’s waiting for justice.

[J.C. Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Focusing on true crime events surrounding the city of Ada, Oklahoma, this book grabbed me within the first chapter. By the end, I had realized that though I may write fictional murders and binge-watch crime television to relax, reading about true crime hits harder. Rollins shares this collection of true stories in a concise, heart-rendering, and respectful manner and brings awareness to sad deeds that, though painful, should not be forgotten.

[Andrea]

Decent read

I live in PoCo currently and was excited to read this book. It was interesting to read the different crimes here in pontotoc but the authors writing left a lot to be desired. It was often choppy, lacking sufficient detail and jumped around a bit too much. Several parts were hard to follow. But overall, I loved recognizing some of the names and stories I have heard in person since living here, simply because history and gossip in small towns never dies.

[Cyndy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish this wasn’t true but I lived through each of them

I live here, all these cases have deeply touched my life our lives. May every family continue to find peace and strength and may our first responders find comfort from all the demons they have had to live with.

[Freda Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read - Ada, OK

But it’s also a place where darkness can creep in if you are not careful.
From the depths of Ada, OK and Pontotoc County

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born and Raised in Ada - only was unfamiliar with one of the stories.