Prosecutors: Men Claim They Burned Body After Woman Committed Suicide

By Gan Matthews, NEWS 9

NORMAN, Oklahoma -- Cleveland County authorities have charged two people with burning the body of Denise Ann White.

White's remains were found in March near Lake Thunderbird in Norman. Whit had two bullet holes in her head.

"There was evidence that the body had been burned," said David Brockman, Cleveland County assistant district attorney. "There was enough there to identify it. They were able to get some leads through it."

The investigation led to Juan Garcia and Nichole Buchtel. They both told police they were present when Denise White died.

Garcia and Buchtel told police White shot herself while they were all traveling together in an SUV near the intersection of S.E. 25th and Byers Avenue.

"Ultimately they went to the residence of a friend of theirs and got a shower curtain, wrapped the body in a shower curtain, stopped at a convenience store, bought some gas, took her to the location where the body was, dumped her body, poured gasoline on it, and set her on fire," Brockman said.

Garcia and Buchtel are charged with desecrating her corpse and arson, but not murder. Prosecutors said they lack the evidence to counter the suicide account.

"It is an unusual story at the very least," Brockman said.

The Medical Examiner's office has yet to issue a final report in Denise White's death.