Criminologist Gives Opinion on Pastor's Brutal Murder

By Dave Jordan, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A local criminologist professor gave his opinion on the possible scenario surrounding the brutal murder of Pastor Carol Daniels.

After seeing the medical examiner's autopsy notes, local criminologist Howard Kurtz said it appeared Pastor Carol Daniels did not go quietly.

"The marks on her hands are defensive looking marks as if she was trying to defend herself from an attacker. It looks like she put up a pretty good fight," said Kurtz, a criminologist professor at Oklahoma City University.

Rumors of a cult killing are still circulating in Anadarko and on Thursday, investigators confirmed that Daniels' body was staged. However, Kurtz said a cult killing is just one of a few possibilities.

"It could be a thrill killing, somebody who wants to make a name for himself or somebody who thinks this would be a fun thing to do. It could be revenge. The fact that she was stabbed so many times would often mean that this could be a domestic case," Kurtz said.

Kurtz said it's important to take precautions but not panic.

"Until we get more information, people should lock their doors, but I don't think we can jump too far from the data that we have," Kurtz said.

Authorities have said they do not believe the murder was linked to a cult.

Coming up tonight on NEWS 9 at 10 , a forensic expert will look at exactly what the wounds on Daniels' body could tell us about the murder.