Bokchito Police Department

05/24/2026

54 Years Ago

Carl Lee “Don” Hart – City Marshal
City of Bokchito May 21, 1972

Late the evening of Sunday, May 21, 1972, City Marshal Carl Hart, 69, had stopped by Easter’s café for a cup of coffee and a roll before going off duty. It was his last night as acting City Marshal, filling in for City Marshal Doc Harris who had been on vacation. City Marshal Carl Hart had parked his car in front of the café, but the business had closed and locked the front door before he finished his coffee so, Hart exited through the back door. After exiting, City Marshal Carl Hart came back in because he had forgotten to pay for his food. After paying Hart exited out the back door again at 10:45 p.m. A shot was heard, and the café employees ran to the back door and found City Marshal Carl Hart dead and a white man with a long gun running away. City Marshal Hart had been shot in the chest with a single barrel 20-gauge shotgun.

James Edward Layman, 25, was arrested two days later and confessed to the shooting and that he was intending on robbing the Easter’s café and was about four yards from the café back door when City Marshal Carl Hart came out and startled him. James Layman said he panicked, pulled the trigger of the shotgun, and ran. James Layman was charged with the murder of City Marshal Carl Hart.

City Marshal Carl Hart was survived by his wife Dessie, two sons, a daughter and two stepsons and is buried in Bokchito Cemetery, Bokchito, Bryan County, Oklahoma.

Bokchito is known as the “Biggest Little Town in Oklahoma”. It is in southeastern Oklahoma 13 miles East of Durant, centered where US 70 and State Road 22 intersect.

OLEM – 1N-2-22 (Don) NLEOM – 29W2

Updated May 8, 2024

05/22/2026

‼️‼️‼️Today May 22nd, 2026‼️‼️‼️

THE TESTING OF THE STORM SIRENS WILL BE GOING OFF SHORTLY!

THIS IS JUST A TEST, SO PLEASE DO NOT BE ALARMED‼️‼️‼️

05/22/2026

05/19/2026

05/16/2026

On the last day of police week we’d like to highlight our newest hire, Patrolman Dakota Reese.

Dakota started his career in law enforcement in December of 2023, and became full time certified in 2024. He joined our department in February. He was also a teacher at Legacy Christian Schools, and decided to come back to law enforcement full time.

He is currently part time, but you’ll start seeing more of him around town, as he will be going full time soon!

We’re glad to have Officer Reese a part of the team.

05/15/2026

A Heartfelt Thank You from the Bokchito Police Department

As National Police Week 2026 comes to a close, I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to our incredible community.

Law enforcement is a challenging profession, but the outpouring of support we received this week made every long hour worth it. From the delicious meals and snacks dropped off at the station to the kind words of encouragement, you have fueled our officers—both physically and mentally.

To the local businesses, organizations, and residents who brought in food and treats: Thank you for standing with us. It is a privilege to serve a community that cares so deeply.

Angello’s Sno-N-Go
Katalina’s mexican restaurant
Pairs sandblasting & painting
First United Bank - Bokchito
The Rock Church
Restaurant & Bakery Corazón Oaxaqueno
Main Street BBQ
Holmes-Coffey-Murray Funeral Home
Skytracker LLC
Bokchito Community Center
Bryan County EMS & Medics Association
Mashburn Family Mercantile
Bokchito Town Council members
Kelsey & Ryan Walker

We are proud to serve you, and we are grateful for your support.

Chief, Shane Guhl & the rest of the department.

05/15/2026

Shoutout to the Backbone of Our Department!

I want to take a moment to shine the spotlight on someone who works tirelessly behind the scenes.

While our officers are out on the streets, Kelsey Walker has been the driving force behind making this week special for our team. From organizing hearty meals from our supporters to coordinating special events that brought our department closer, Kelsey ensured our staff felt appreciated, recognized, and fed!

Support staff are essential to law enforcement, and Kelsey goes above and beyond, not just this week, but all year round.

Thank you, Kelsey, for your dedication, your heart, and for taking such good care of our officers!


Chief, Shane Guhl

05/15/2026

Our awesome supporters Katalina’s mexican restaurant stopped by to bring donuts and gift bags for all of the officers.

Even during a down time for them as business owners, they still came together to support us. They are always giving and doing for others in and around our communities!

Once they’re back up and operating, let’s all get together and rally our support for them! Thank you Jose, Maria, and Anna for everything. We truly appreciate you all.