Oklahoma native Cory Bodily went missing on July 29, 2008, but was not reported missing until several weeks later. Still, authorities and his family hoped for Cory’s safe return until a dog dug up his skull in December of that year. Investigation Discovery’s “Murder in the Heartland: Shallow Grave” chronicles the gruesome murder of Cory and traces the ensuing investigation that caught up with the killers eight years after the tragic incident. Let’s dive into the details of this case and find out where the perpetrators are now, shall we?
How did Cory physically die?
Resident of Norman, Oklahoma, Cory Jay Bodily was quite close to his family. Described as a warm and caring person, he enjoyed making others happy and spreading smiles. The 31-year-old worked at the local Taco Bell in Norman and was also receiving his salary on the day of his disappearance. Although family members have remained hopeful of his safe return, Cory’s sudden and heartbreaking passing has been hard to come to terms with to this day.
Cory Jay Bodily was last seen on July 29, 2008, when he left his home and went to the Taco Bell in Norman to collect his paycheck. Although the fast-food restaurant confirmed that it had taken the paycheck well, no one had seen or heard from Cory since that day. Surprisingly, Cory’s family didn’t report him missing immediately as his mother thought he might have gone somewhere or taken a break.
However, when there was no sign of Cory for over a month, anxious family members involved the police in September. Soon police were combing through nearby areas in search of the missing 31-year-old. Although authorities used various methods and even included the public in their search, Cory was nowhere to be found. Law enforcement officials continued their search diligently as Cory’s family prayed for his safe return.
As the months passed, the case took a sinister turn when a dog retrieved a human skull and brought it to a home in Noble on December 25, 2008. When tested, the skull turned out to be that of Cory, and within two weeks police managed to locate the rest of his body in a clearing near 171st Street and Cemetery Road in Norman. Later, a thorough medical examination determined that Cory had died from blunt trauma, and police began to treat the case as a homicide.
Who killed Cory physically?
The initial investigation into Cory Bodily’s murder was relatively slow as police had no leads to work on. Although they attempted to establish a motive and find a suspect by holding hundreds of interviews, nothing and no one could shed light on why the man was murdered in cold blood. Authorities later revealed they had pursued hundreds of seemingly promising leads that later turned out to be dead ends, making their investigation even more difficult. However, several years after Cory disappeared, a witness came forward and said a guy named John Perkins had information about the murder.
According to the show, when the police encountered John, he immediately cooperated and revealed that his brother, Bobby, and another friend, Ryan Wilmeth, were the last people to see Cory alive. He further claimed that Bobby pulled a gun on Cory as they had a dispute over money that went missing from the Taco Bell where the three worked. Authorities then wasted no time in contacting Ryan, who succumbed to rigorous questioning and confessed to witnessing Cory’s murder. However, he claimed that Bobby pulled the trigger and not him.
According to the show, Bobby was spending his days behind bars for an unrelated crime at that time. Yet when police questioned him, he presented a different timeline of events and claimed that Ryan was the one who shot Cory. Ultimately, Bobby and Ryan were arrested and charged with Cory’s murder, while the inquest also charged mutual friend Libby Cox, who was charged as an afterthought accomplice.
Where are Bobby Perkins, Ryan Wilmeth and Libby Cox now?
Once produced in court, Bobby Perkins pleaded guilty to first degree murder and as a result was sentenced to life in 2017. The same year, Libby Cox pleaded guilty to the felony charge of accessory after the fact and was handed a 12-year prison sentence. Eventually, in 2018, Ryan Wilmeth also reached a plea deal and confessed to first degree murder, which saw him end up with a 32-year prison sentence.
Currently, Bobby Perkins remains incarcerated at the Lawton Correctional Facility, while Ryan Wilmeth spends his days behind bars at the Oklahoma State Reformatory work center. On the other hand, court records show that Libby Cox was granted parole in 2020. She now resides in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and works at Old Home Rescue. Furthermore, Libby’s social media profile also mentions that she is married.
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