The Camp Scott Murders: The 1977 Girl Scout Murders

Some new insights; until reading this book did not know there was a Boy Scout Camp right down the road, that was in session at the time of the murders. However, that is not even close to other SHOCKING details never disclosed by the media or the police.I suggest anyone wanting to know more about the murders, the history of Camp Scott, and the many suspects, should go to Tapatalk.com. I don't know if Hart committed the murders, but I do know he was a monster and the world is better off without him. That being said, time is running out, for a conclusion [justice].It is believed by many, that the crimes were committed by more than one assailant:-If Hart had accomplices [Clan/blood-relatives] or if others were involved in the crimes, they would be past middle age by now. Hart's mother's home/property ended at the Camp Scott fenceline. During Hart's first sexual assault trial, his victim's testified that he made a guttural, inhuman sound when he was violating them. This is similar to the sound described by one of the counselors, who heard a 'bestial moan' in the treeline the night of the murders. Hart also used tape to gag and restrain the victims in his first conviction. This M.O. is similar to the ligature/ restrains found on the Camp Scott victims. OSBI estimated at the time of the murders that Hart had at least >200 blood relatives living in the region. In 2008 Hart's DNA was found to be a partial match to the evidence recovered at the crime scene. His DNA registered 3 out of 5 hits in relation to the evidence. This discrepancy was chalked up to sample decay. But the lack of a 100% hit would make sense if it was a biological member of the Hart clan and not Hart. Remember, >200 plus relatives. How did Hart stay hidden for so many years, prior to the murders? Locust Grove is a small community, how many 'friends' of Hart do you think worked in Law Enforcement during that period of time? Hart was not the only member of his family to be violent towards women. Prior to Hart's second conviction and while being on parole for the first sexual assaults, he was living in Tulsa, OK. His roommate was his nephew. This same nephew had been kicked out of his marital residence because he was abusing his wife. I'll let you do the research on shared ancestry and how much one family branch can absorb DNA from the maternal line.-The "three Boy Scout suspects" from Camp Garland, not to mention the "young stranger" that visited the Boy Scout camp and stole supplies from the Boy Scout camp attendees, just before the murders, needs to be further investigated.-The murderer(s) of Jimmy Bryant. Jimmy ran with a group of local boys who boasted to Jimmy's parents that they 'knew' the victims [?] after listening to a broadcast of the murders. Jimmy's parents thought the admission was strange, if not weird because none of the victims were from the area and none Jimmy's friends were from Tulsa/Broken Arrow. Soon after this disturbing revelation to Jimmy's parents, Jimmy Bryant went missing and his corpse was discovered one month later. The two murderers convicted of his death claim it was over money owed for a 'weed' transaction. Jimmy Bryant lived in Cherokee County, Oklahoma the neighboring county to the Camp Scott murders. Jimmy's demise and those of the Girl Scouts were the only murders of children in the region. Again, within weeks (miles) of each other.-The Camp Scott Caretaker would be discovered to be a serial rapist of his female family members, for years. This caretaker happened live in front of Camp Scott's front gates.-The wild story from the "Hitchhiking Preacher". A traveling preacher claimed (to police) he was picked up by some [young] men who were in the area of Camp Scott, the night of the murders. He stated that his car broke down, and he didn't know the region and was desperate to find his sister's residence. While walking on a dirt road a car pulled up and offered to take him to where he thought his sister was located. He believed the men were intoxicated but friendly. As they drove into the night, the 'good samaritans' tried to cox this wayward preacher to participate in some 'fun'. He claims the car they were in stopped, on a dirt road. Then he claims he became scared and when the men left the vehicle and went into a treeline. He observed the men were engaging in something sinister and it wasn't a 'fun'. The preacher claims he fled from the car and disappeared into the night. This story would be just a 'story' if it hadn't been for multiple eye-witness testimonials from the Camp Scott employees of unknown men in on foot and one instance of a car stopped in front of Camp Scott days prior to the murders and other reports the morning of the murders, not to mention ear-witness testimony of loud vehicle traffic in the late evening/early morning near the Camp Scott campgrounds. These sounds were heard by residents who lived adjacent to the camp.-Testimony of from the Girl Scouts at Camp Scott that claim they saw a man/men in the camp the night and morning before the victims were discovered. They state these unknown men opened their tents and at least one incident of a Girl Scout tripping over a man's leg while walking from the showers. This took place less than a few yards from the victim's tent. It would be shocking to read any one of these testimonials, but if you read the court transcripts and go to Tapatalk you will find out there were multiple accounts that evening/morning of similar sightings. It's even more incredible when viewing the posts, that some of the Girl Scouts' claim their statements were dismissed by law enforcement and not part of the official record. These witnesses were very young and the adults (parents/counselors/investigators) hadn't told them the nature of the crimes. Yet, their statements coincide with some of the theories mentioned above.Trust me, get this book.

It was a great read...full of info!!

Whereas I thought I was receiving a true-crime book about an incident in which I've long been interested, this book was little more than a listing of dates and descriptors. Not that I don't enjoy putting the pieces together, but this had the feel of reading the book of Numbers aloud in a monotone. Fascinating material, dull approach

book isn't the best true crime book as far as the writing, but i like having it in my true crime collection because the crimes were so horrific and bizarre.although the accused was found not guilty at trial (he was already in prison for another horrible crime and had escaped for a year when these murders happened - he was in prison until his death), i do believe he was guilty based on opportunity (he was hiding very by) and the nature of the previous crime for which he was in prison. i think that jury just found reasonable doubt. these were the days before dna and other forensic advances. he would have been convicted today.3 girls were part of a girl scout troop at a camp. they share a tent at the edge of the group. someone entered the tent during the night and raped and /or stabbed them all to death. it was a horrible and shocking crime.the suspect had previously been convicted of kidnapping, rape, sodomy and attempted murder of two obviously pregnant women. the women were friends, they were out somewhere when he spotted them and gave them a ride. he tied them up and put tape over their faces/mouths so that they would suffocate and left them for dead by the side of the road, i believe. they were 6-7 months pregnant. one loosens the tape over her mouth and freed herself and the other woman.even rapists/serials killers don't usually target women in their third trimester of pregnancy. i think the bizarre nature of the crimes, plus opportunity and the little physical evidence available at that time, makes this guy the killer of the girls.to add more weirdness to the case, the suspect, a native american, allegedly bought protection from capture from a medicine man. several experienced dogs in finding escapees were brought in from out of state and died. some people thought the suspects luck in not being captured faster had something to do with medicine man.there was (i don't know if it's still there) an excellent documentary of the crime on youtube that i saw. in it, an employee at the camp said that she was awake at night and heard bizarre sounds outside that sounded like some sort of animal that she couldn't identify. after, the discovery of the murders, she thought these creepy sounds came from the killer - a truly abnormal and frightening aspect of the killer.

This is a surprisingly efficient and interesting accounting of event of one of the most forgotton tragedies in American history. It’s shocking how little you hear about this case anymore.That being said there is almost no narrative to this book whatsoever, which could be considered good or bad depending. This is genuinely a step by step account/breakdown of all available evidence and testimonies, complete with photos and newspaper clippings. Pretty much the best book you can find on the subject that is still in circulation. Other books on the subject would be “someone cry for the children”, which does have a narrative told from the perspective of 2 of the actual investigators of the crimes, and “tent number eight” told by someone who spent very little time actually writing the book and is very uninteresting.All that being said this is a great book and full of valuable information on the investigation and case, and it is still in print at a reasonable price to boot!Highly recommended!

Not all that impressed. Basically a short book (189 pages) of information available to anyone. I was hoping for more insight to what could have happened. I lived in the area when this happened and followed the news, therefore my review might be a tad too critical.

This seems more like an outline for a book than an actual book. It listed dates and events- over and over. Many facts were repeated. A newspaper would have been a better read.