Two homicides shake Ponca City community

Staff Report
Ponca City was rocked by two homicides that occurred over a three-day period last weekend, including the shooting death of a former state wrestling champion and man beaten to death in the street.
The violence prompted a statement from the city’s mayor to assuage the community.
The first incident occurred shortly after 1:30 a.m. Friday when police officers responded to the 500 Block of North Sunset to a report of someone suffering from a gunshot wound, according to a Ponca City Police Department news release.
Officers located a male victim identified as 42-year-old Demetrius Miller, who was later pronounced deceased at Integris Ponca City.
Miller was a three-time state wrestling champion at Ponca City High School. He also coached at the local recreation center.
According to that same release, shortly after 9 a.m. that same morning, the suspect in that shooting, 18-year-old Zaveon Jareil Gates, was located at a residence in McCord, in Osage County, and taken into custody by local law enforcement. The investigation remains active.
Bond for Gates was set at $1 million. His court appearance is set for June 12.
The second homicide occurred just before 3 a.m. Sunday when Ponca City officers were dispatched to a residence in the 1600 Block of South 10th Street. Police said they responded to the report of a subject who had been beaten up and was lying in the roadway.
When officers arrived on the scene, the release states, they located a male subject unconscious and bleeding from his head. He was later identified as 24-year-old Patrick Warrior and pronounced deceased at Integris Ponca City.
Detectives responded to the scene and began interviewing multiple witnesses who saw two individuals beating Warrior and stomping on his head in the street.  When witnesses called 911 for help, the release states, one of the individuals who was seen beating Warrior brandished a firearm and began shooting at the witnesses for calling the police.
The department’s tactical team arrived on the scene. After multiple unsuccessful requests for the suspects, they entered the suspect’s residence. Police said they were able to safely remove one adult witness and one child from the residence before taking the suspects into custody.
The two suspects have been identified as 19-year-old Alegandro Campos and 21-year-old Samuel Campos. Both were arrested and will be charged with the murder of Patrick Warrior, with multiple other felony charges are expected, the release states.
Samuel Campos had previously been charged with drug trafficking in 2022 but the charges were dropped or settled in 2023.
The violent weekend brought a response from Ponca City Mayor Kelsey Wagener who released a statement Sunday.
“Our community is hurting today. We’ve had two tragic events that have unfolded over the past two days,” Wagner said. “My heart breaks for the families and loved ones affected. Ponca City has faced difficult moments before. We will face these together.”
Wagner said it would not be appropriate for her to comment on the investigations as they are still active.
“We are living in a time when people are feeling especially lost,” she added. “Young people are looking for meaning and direction, and when they can’t find it, they find ways to cope that are oftentimes destructive and harmful.”
Wagner thanked the response and efforts of the Ponca City Police Department.