321. The Murder of Makayla Maeve

Summary

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Murder With My Husband – Episode 321: The Murder of Makayla Maeve

Released: May 18, 2026
Hosts: Peyton Moreland & Garrett Moreland

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on the 2023 murder of Makayla Maeve, a beloved teacher’s assistant from the tiny town of Macomb, Oklahoma. Peyton and Garrett navigate the heartbreaking investigation led by stubborn motherly intuition, the red flags ignored in an abusive relationship, and the painstaking process that eventually brought Makayla’s killer—her husband Frank Byers—to justice. The case also highlights the power and tragedy of domestic violence in rural America.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction & Small Town Dynamics

• Macomb, Oklahoma: Population of 24—the ultimate “everyone knows everyone” community.
• Makayla, 30, is a teacher’s assistant, deeply involved with kids both at work and at home (having adopted two siblings).
• Close-knit family: Makayla is supported by her mother and two sisters, reflecting on how her upbringing and mother’s daycare shaped her compassion and life choices.

2. Makayla’s Family and New Marriage

• Unable to have biological children, Makayla embraced motherhood through adoption and later by welcoming Frank Byers (an old school acquaintance) and his four daughters into her home after claims of his previous partner’s abuse toward the girls (10:57).
• "People who knew her said she seemed happier than ever.... She loved Frank’s kids like they were her own." – Peyton (11:34)

3. Strains & Breakup

• Despite a seemingly blended family, cracks appeared. Frank and Makayla agreed on a trial separation and began “seeing other people,” although this detail becomes highly disputed later.
• Frank tells Makayla’s sister Andrea that Makayla hadn’t returned after leaving for a date with “a bald man with a beard in a white pickup.” (17:24)

4. Disappearance & Search

Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023

• Makayla does not turn up for family obligations or answer any calls; growing concern.
• Police are called by Frank ("My wife's been missing. Last time anyone heard from her was at 8pm." – Frank, 21:03).

First Investigation & Red Flags

• Frank omits the separation when speaking to police, describing an “open marriage."

• When police search the property, they find:

  • Spent .22 shell casings in Makayla’s shed
  • Blood drops on the floor and sheet (25:05)
  • .22 rifle in the house; recently fired

• Crime scene detective Lt. Dakota Black—a respected local tracker who relates personally to case circumstances—joins the search (26:23).

Suspicion Centers on Frank

• Frank avoids participating in search parties and only calls or texts Makayla—behavior perceived as performative ("He never went out with any of the search parties." – Peyton, 29:19).
• Social media posts paint himself as the heartbroken spouse (29:56).

5. The Mother’s Intuition Break

• Makayla’s mother Barbara, convinced by what she calls a “premonition,” searches “tin horns” (culvert pipes) after “hearing” Makayla’s voice in her head: “Mama, I'm in a tin horn.” (31:58)
• On day 5 of the search, Makayla’s cousin finds her body wrapped in a carpet in a tin horn, matching the mother’s intuition (32:57).

Memorable Moment:

• "Within minutes, police are there to confirm... inside that rolled up carpet is in fact the deceased body of 30 year old Michaela… She is wearing a red T shirt which had intentionally been pulled up over her head to conceal her face." – Peyton, 33:53

6. Autopsy & New Investigation

• Cause of death: Two close-range .22 gunshots to the head, a third grazed her scalp. No evidence of sexual assault, but body was partially undressed. The gun and shell casings match (34:37, 35:14).

• Frank’s "open marriage" alibi falls apart:

  • Family insists Makayla never agreed to such an arrangement and was instead ending the marriage for good due to Frank’s ongoing cheating and abuse (41:22).
  • Makayla even recorded their final break-up conversation, "I've never once been dead set for divorce until today. I'm stating to you right now that you have officially broke the last string that was holding me to you." – Peyton quoting Makayla, 41:50

7. Frank’s Pattern of Abuse

• Investigation into Frank’s previous relationships reveals a cycle of control and manipulation; former girlfriend Crystal reports his abuse, mirroring what likely happened to Makayla (42:32).

8. Community Tension & Public Outcry

• Frank is ostracized from community gatherings, yet continues to defend himself publicly and on local news ("It would have been nice to say hear her voice." – Frank, 45:15)

9. Break in the Case: Forensic Evidence

• Security footage from the home (presumed deleted by Frank) shows Makayla coming home, disputing Frank’s claim that she left for a date (46:41).
• Makayla’s cell phone is found hidden in their home, SIM card removed and inserted into another device, used by Frank to fake texts from Makayla after her death (47:29).
• Walmart receipt shows Frank bought cleaning supplies the day Makayla disappeared.
• Carpet body was found in belonged to the couple, as confirmed by neighbor.
• Bullet grazing Makayla’s head found embedded in shed's wall with her hair.
• Frank’s boots test positive for Makayla’s blood (49:00).

10. Arrest and Plea

• SWAT arrests Frank Byers 39 days after disappearance; charges: first-degree murder, unauthorized removal of a corpse, desecration (50:55).
• He pleads guilty for life without parole (January 31, 2025). Makayla’s family maintains that he likely had help moving her body, but no accomplice has been charged.

11. Aftermath & Awareness

• Makayla’s mother Barbara starts “Michaela’s Purple Butterfly Foundation” for survivors of intimate partner abuse (51:35).
• Domestic violence resources shared for listeners (51:36).

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Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• On mother’s intuition changing the investigation:
  “It was like Michaela’s voice had appeared in her head and whispered something to her: ‘mama, I’m in a tin horn.’” – Peyton (31:58)

• On the reality of rural homicide:
  “You’re just a normal, good human.” – Peyton (34:19)

• On Frank’s lack of emotion:
  “He never went out with any of the search parties.” – Peyton (29:19)

• “What a guy.” – Garrett (29:55)

• “The most sacrificial thing a man can do for a woman is call her phone.” – Peyton (45:30, sarcastically)

• After the break-up recording:
  "I've never once been dead set for divorce until today..." – (41:50)

• On Frank’s manipulations:
  “He texted one of the women he was talking to almost immediately after Michaela went missing. He even sent a picture in his tux... for Michaela’s funeral before her body was found.” – Peyton (42:32)

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Important Timestamps

• [10:57] — Introduction to Makayla’s life in Macomb; her adoption of two children
• [17:24] — Morning Mikayla goes missing, conflicting stories begin
• [21:03] — Frank calls 911, explains his version of events
• [25:05] — Police inspect the shed and find shell casings, blood
• [26:23] — Lt. Dakota Black joins the investigation
• [31:58] — Makayla’s mother’s “tin horn” premonition
• [32:57] — Body is discovered in the tin horn
• [34:37] — Autopsy details and gun evidence
• [41:22–41:50] — Realities of Makayla and Frank’s relationship revealed
• [45:15] — Frank's local news performance
• [46:41] — Home security footage breaks Frank’s "date" alibi
• [47:29] — Makayla’s phone/SIM manipulation revealed
• [50:55] — Arrest, plea, and aftermath

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Final Reflections

Peyton and Garrett end the episode reflecting on the unseen dangers in intimate relationships and the tragedy of domestic violence—especially when warning signs are dismissed or hidden. Listeners are reminded to trust their instincts and check on loved ones, and resources for domestic violence survivors are promoted.

– “Once again, I feel like this just happened last week. You never know somebody..." – Garrett (51:54)

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Resources Mentioned

• Michaela’s Purple Butterfly Foundation: Support for survivors of domestic violence
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: [phone]
• Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office (for tips): 405-273-1727

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This summary captures the empathy and directness of Peyton and Garrett’s storytelling, focusing on the chilling details of Makayla’s disappearance, the pivotal role of her mother, and the step-by-step unraveling of the case.

Transcript

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[Peyton Moreland]

You're listening to an Ono Media podcast. Hey everyone. Welcome back to the podcast. This is Murder with my husband. I'm Peyton Moreland.

[Garrett Moreland]

And I'm Garrett Moreland.

[Peyton Moreland]

And he's the husband.

[Garrett Moreland]

I'm the husband.

[Peyton Moreland]

Happy Monday.

[Garrett Moreland]

Welcome back. Happy Monday. Thank you for being here. Thank you for listening. Thank you for watching. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for subscribing all of it. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Here we are recording, ready for a true crime episode. What'd you guys do this weekend? Anything fun?

[Peyton Moreland]

What did we do?

[Garrett Moreland]

Work?

[Peyton Moreland]

Oh, yeah, we worked.

[Garrett Moreland]

We worked. Our anniversary is soon.

[Peyton Moreland]

Oh, yeah.

[Garrett Moreland]

Tuesday.

[Peyton Moreland]

Tuesday, I think.

[Garrett Moreland]

Gosh. 27 years married.

[Peyton Moreland]

That's insane.

[Garrett Moreland]

Crazy. No, it's nine years married.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah.

[Garrett Moreland]

Nine years married.

[Peyton Moreland]

Holy smokes. That means we're getting old.

[Garrett Moreland]

I know. Nine years married is a long time.

[Peyton Moreland]

Dude, you know what? I was looking at our wedding pictures the other day.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah?

[Peyton Moreland]

We were so small.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh, we were, baby. Oh, babe. We got married when we were like babies.

[Peyton Moreland]

Who. Who in their right mind agreed to that? Who in their right mind said, yeah, let's let these two children get married

[Garrett Moreland]

as soon as you turn 18. I guess you can technically do whatever you want.

[Peyton Moreland]

Geez.

[Garrett Moreland]

And we said, hey, let's go get married.

[Peyton Moreland]

We sure did.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yep. Nine year anniversary. That's about it. Hi, Daisy. Daisy's sick. Not sure what, but she hasn't been feeling good, so she's just chilling. But she'll be okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

She slept, like, in my neck, brook of my neck last night. That's how I knew she was sick.

[Garrett Moreland]

Poor girl. I'm gonna get right into 10 seconds. I need a hot take for my 10 seconds today.

[Peyton Moreland]

Here, take my hand. Take my hand. Yeah, do it.

[Garrett Moreland]

Why?

[Peyton Moreland]

I'll show you. I'm your hot take. What? There you go.

[Garrett Moreland]

That was good.

[Peyton Moreland]

You're done.

[Garrett Moreland]

You're cute, babe. I thought you were going to, like,

[Peyton Moreland]

do something like pull your finger.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, okay. All right. I have a hot take. I don't know if it's a hot take. It might make some people mad. I want to start with saying that the city, my bagel shop is amazing. They've been great. I got everything done really, really fast. And I appreciate it. Like, when I say fast, like, fast, like, permits were approved within weeks. That's unheard of. I feel like. I think, oh, man, I want to make some people mad because I know some of you probably work for a city. I think anything that has to do with permits and building. I don't think I can say it out loud. I'm gonna get canceled.

[Peyton Moreland]

What?

[Garrett Moreland]

I think. I think it should all. I think it should just not exist. Like, I think they should all be. I don't wanna say fired. There's other jobs in the city, but anything to do with, like, cities getting permits approved to build something, yada, yada, yada. I think that it should all be done just via software, like automatic. Like, you upload and there's this parameters and intelligence that automatically knows what needs to be approved and not approved. And it's done like that. If it's rejected, it comes back to you. You fix what you need to fix, upload again, and within like, 24 hours, the systems can automatically detect what needs to be done and not done instead of. I mean, look, there's some cities out there where you submit a permit, you don't hear back for like, six months. I'm sure every contractor, anyone that builds anything is like, yes. Like, this is ridiculous.

[Peyton Moreland]

I think so.

[Garrett Moreland]

I just think it's ridiculous. It's 2026. We have the technology and we have the ability. I know the software exists. I just know majority of it is cities don't want to adopt it because, I mean, I get some people to lose jobs, but it's also hard because you have people literally waiting months and months for a permit. Sorry, this one kind of makes me mad because luckily the city, I'm with. They were amazing and they were super helpful. And again, it happened within weeks. But I have multiple friends. I have people that you're waiting. I mean, there's some places where it takes like a year to get a permit. Anyways, that's my hot take. If you have something you want to say to me about it, let me know. I'm open to it.

[Peyton Moreland]

And yeah, two things.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yes.

[Peyton Moreland]

If a job is not efficient.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

For everyone around them, the job deserves to be changed.

[Garrett Moreland]

Correct.

[Peyton Moreland]

Number one.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

So I don't think that that's that hot of a take.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

Number two, I don't think, like, you work for the government, you work on a different timeline. If you work for a state, you work on a different timeline all the way down. If you work with a city, you're working on a different timeline than everyone else in America.

[Garrett Moreland]

For sure.

[Peyton Moreland]

And I think people are unfair.

[Garrett Moreland]

People probably can disagree with this, but it's just true.

[Peyton Moreland]

I don't, I don't think that that is like necessarily a bad thing. There's probably parameters and things that have made it that way.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

But I think we can all agree that most entities that belong to are inefficient. Yes.

[Garrett Moreland]

Like it's a race.

[Peyton Moreland]

They haven't progressed the way the rest of the world has on the timeline. The rest of the world has. Like, like as far as business, everything moves super quick, super fast. It's always about efficiency. And we have some really outdated.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah. And a lot of it, I guess, probably does have to do with the governments and cities and just parameters and yada yada yada. But I mean, it's like a running joke when you go to a DMV. Right.

[Peyton Moreland]

Mm.

[Garrett Moreland]

Granted. I mean, some DMVs now in states are actually really well run and like they have online technology. And that's what I'm saying. There's so many places that are so far behind. Like it should not be taking this long to get a permit. It should not be taking this long to do different things. And again, I'm an exception. Cause I didn't happen to my city. But I know so many people that have.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah. But it's not like we live in that small of a city. So if it's capable in our city to get it done fast, it should be capable in most cities to get it done.

[Garrett Moreland]

That places in California literally will take you 18 months.

[Peyton Moreland]

Which again, just goes back to your program is not efficient.

[Garrett Moreland]

Like, come on.

[Peyton Moreland]

Like you're not being as efficient as possible. Clearly. And I'm not. I Think different cities, different counties. Like, we're obviously not in a huge city, but it's a pretty large city with a lot going on.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah. And they got it done.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah.

[Garrett Moreland]

Anyways, that's my hot take. Kind of. I don't know, maybe you guys don't even care about that, but if you've ever built something or how to deal with the city, I'm sure you'll care about it.

[Peyton Moreland]

So I also don't think efficiency is all technology. I think that programs themselves with human beings running them could be more efficient.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh, a hundred percent. Yeah. Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

Like, I don't think technology is always the answer.

[Garrett Moreland]

It doesn't need to replace more technology, just needs to speed up things.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah.

[Garrett Moreland]

Anyways, that's what I got. Before we hop into today's episode, I want to say real quick that thank you to anyone who listens and watches the podcast who comes into the bagel shop. Thanks for saying hi. I have a problem. Okay. I remember everyone's name. As soon as you tell me and I'm talking to you and I remember your name and I'm engaged in the conversation. As soon as you leave, that name is gone. And multiple people were like, don't forget my name so you can shout it out in the next episode. Well, guess what? I forgot your name. But also, in my defense, I'm also hearing names from 300 other people a day at the same time. Anyways, literally, I had multiple people. I'm like, oh, I'm going to remember your name and shout you out. Nope. Any names in my mind is zero names. The only name on my mind right now is Peyton. No other name. So anyway, sorry. That's it. I love you. Thank you for coming in. Thank you for saying hi if you came in and I was busy, I'm also really sorry, but I love you. And let's hop into today's case.

[Peyton Moreland]

Our sources for this episode are Oxygen, CBS News, Coco.com K2U L.com OKC Fox.com Medium.com New York Post.com People.com K F O R.com Mamma Mia.com News9.com the Cinemaholic and Wilson Little.com I think one of the most powerful extrasensory skills that I've ever seen is a mother's blind intuition. Everyone talks about it. It's like moms have this divine spiritual entanglement to their children. They always seem to know when something is off, when your energy has shifted. Sometimes they call right at the second you need them most. Other times it's like they can predict when something is about to go wrong. And I know that's not the case for every mother, but it is enough case that has become a stereotype. But it's also not every day that a mother's intuition solves a disappearance. After Michaela Maeve went missing in 2023, her mother decided she wasn't going to sleep until she found her daughter. And thanks to that motherly intuition or her divine connection to her daughter Michaela, she knew exactly where to find her. And not only was she right, she helped bring justice to a case that might have otherwise gone cold. Now, I'm sure many of our listeners come from small towns, so you understand what it's like when everyone knows everyone, where gossip spreads faster than a virus and everybody's in each other's business. But I think the location of today's case might have most places beat, because we are headed to Macomb, Oklahoma, where in the year 2023, when our case takes place, the population is about 24 people.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh, my gosh. Okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

And 30 year old Michaela Maeve is one of them. Mikayla was a teacher's assistant at Macomb Public Schools and was working towards getting her teaching degree at the time. She was also very actively involved with the school's aftercare program. But Michaela always knew she wanted this to be her path. Her mother actually ran a daycare when she was growing up. She understood the power of education and nurturing, and it was what she wanted to do with her life. So it must have been devastating when Michaela learned back in her 20s that she couldn't have children of her own. So instead, as she got older, she fostered and then adopted two teenage kids, a brother and a sister. And she did everything she could to give these kids a loving upbringing. Plus, she shared with them all of the things that always brought her joy. Music, singing, religion, her passion for animals. Michaela treated her students with the same kind of love and compassion that she treated her two adopted kids. Friends and co workers said that if a child ever came to school hungry or wearing dirty clothes, Michaela would be the one to help fix it, make things better. And luckily, Michaela wasn't alone in her journey. She was extremely close with her mother and two sisters who helped her raise her kids along the way. But then an old acquaintance actually came back into Michaela's perfect little life. It was someone named Frank Byers. Now, Michaela and Frank had actually gone to high school together back in the day. And sometime before 2022, he sent Michaela a Facebook message and the two of them reconnected. Now, by then, Frank was working for an environmental cleanup company, which meant he spent a lot of time on the road. But when he wasn't working, he was actually still living in the Macomb area. Frank now had four kids of his own, all young daughters, and ever since his divorce from their mother, he had primary custody. But this wasn't something that deterred Mikayla. If anything, it made her fall for Frank even more. Especially because Frank told Michaela his girls had had a rough time in life so far. He said that his most recent girlfriend had been abusing his daughters when he wasn't around and he was just looking to get out of that situation. So that was when Michaela offered to open her home to Frank and his four kids. The two start dating. So Michaela and Frank start dating in 2022, and her family of three, her and her adopted two kids now grows to eight. Now, people who knew Michaela said she seemed happier than ever. This wasn't something everyone would do, but it was something that really worked for her. She loved Frank's kids like they were her own. So it wasn't a surprise in June of 2022 when Michaela and Frank tied the knot. So for the next year, they lived together on Michaela's 10 acre property. But on September 15, 2023, their worlds turned upside down. So that morning began. Like most days in Macomb, Michaela woke up and called her sister Andrea at 7am the two were best friends. Not only did they speak every day, they basically knew every detail of each other's lives. Or so Andrea thought. It was a Friday, so she and Michaela might have discussed their plans for the weekend. Michaela went to work that morning and came home around her usual time. But she and her sister Andrea didn't speak again for the rest of that night. When Andrea's phone rang the following morning, though, on September 16th, she expected to hear Michaela on the other end of the line again. Only this time it was Frank, her boyfriend. And he was wondering if Andrea had seen or spoken to her sister since the night before. And according to Andrea, Frank seemed seriously worried. He was hysterical. She could hardly make out what he was saying at first. Eventually, she got him to calm down enough to spit it out. And that's when he said that Michaela had gone on a date the night before but hadn't made it home yet. Now, this isn't a total shock to Andrea because despite the fact they're still living Together with their kids. She knew Michaela and Frank had recently decided to take a little break from their romance. Things hadn't been going super well between them lately. So Andrea's first thought was, well, good. I hope my sister went out and had some fun last night. Maybe she had a little too much fun. Maybe she stayed over at a guy's house. But Frank seems to think it's a lot worse than Michaela just staying out for the night. He tells her sister the last time he saw Michaela was around 5:30pm last night. That the guy she'd went out with was bald. He had a dark beard. He showed up in a white Chevrolet pickup truck with tinted windows. And Frank says he didn't speak to the guy himself, but he saw Michaela get into the truck with him and then they drove off into the sunset. But now Michaela wasn't answering her phone. She still hadn't made it home. Like all of the kids are home. So Andrea, at this point, assumes Frank is just being jealous. Like a little jealous and dramatic. Which is why after she hangs up, she decides to call her sister herself. But Frank was right. Michaela wasn't answering her phone. In fact, her calls were going straight to voicemail. All right, you guys, we are getting into an ad and 91 of dog parents say that their pup is an important member of the family and 40% would even save their dog over a human stranger. It is safe to say that people are obsessed with their pets and honestly, I can relate. You guys know my love for Daisy. I. I don't even need to talk about it further. And if anyone gets being dog obsessed, if it's Ollie, they are relentless about delivering the best food and experience for you and your dog. And they give you a way to check in on their health over and over and over again. 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It's noon, then it's 1pm and still no one's been able to reach Michaela. And now her family is starting to get worried. Especially because Michaela had promised to help out a restaurant their family owned that day. But she didn't show up. And this is something that was completely unlike her. So by that afternoon her husband Frank called 911 and I'm calling him husband but yeah, they're on a break apparently but they're still living in the same home with the kids.

[Frank Byers]

Yep, my wife's been missing. Late last night she left at 5:30ish, roughly California and last time that anyone has heard from her has been at 8pm and your name? My name is Frank Byers. B Y E R S what's her name? Her name is Michaela Byers.

[Peyton Moreland]

Now it's about 4pm on the afternoon of the 16th when police arrive at Michaela's home where Frank and Michaela are living. And with his body cam rolling, the deputy asks 32 year old Frank to repeat the details he gave the dispatcher over the phone. Now Frank also gives them more description of the guy he says he saw Michaela leaving with the night before. He was 6ft tall, maybe 200 pounds or so. Now what's interesting is when Frank is explaining the situation to the deputy, he doesn't exactly tell the deputy that he and Michaela were on a break. Instead he says we had actually recently decided to agree to open up their marriage and stay together while also seeing other people. So they were still living in Michaela's home on the 10 acres in this very, very small town. But they had an open relationship so they each would on dates with other people. But we're still at home raising the kids together. So this is what he tells the officer. He says to the officer that Michaela met this particular person that she went on a date with on Facebook, but that's all he really knew about the guy outside of what he looked like and what car he drove. Frank also says that he doesn't really like the arrangement, like the open marriage. It was Michaela's idea. He was just willing to do whatever it took to make her happy, to keep her by his side, to keep their marriage intact. Frank admits though that right before she left, he and Michaela had gotten into a tiff. According to him, she claimed it was none of his business where she was going or who she went with. So that's why he never got a name or more details on where her date was that night. But he also offers to show the deputy some messages Michaela had sent him the night before after she left the house on the date. It was messages sent from her phone that read, quote, I'm fine and back off.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

Now it's at this point the deputy Decides it's worth driving around the tiny town to see if he spots Michaela. And one of the first stops he makes is at the school where she works, but there's nothing. Meanwhile, back at Frank and Michaela's house, the family is actually starting to gather. Her mother and sister show up, and one of the first things her mom, Barbara, does is she gets down on her hands and knees and starts crawling inch by inch over the huge property, looking for any sign of her daughter. And I'm saying any sign, as in foul play, clues, anything she can see. Now, later that evening, deputies are back on the property, joining the family in their search of the property. But they're more interested in the inside of Frank and Michaela's home, particularly. They seem to kind of check out this little shed out back. Because the police learned that while they were going through this open marriage, maybe break, maybe trying to figure things out. Depends on who you ask. Apparently, Michaela had moved into this tiny shed in the back. Now, Frank had told them earlier in the day, but when they asked him to open it, he was like, it's locked, and I don't have a key. Like, that's her space. But when police return, he smashes open the lock. And this time, he lets police look inside.

[Garrett Moreland]

Huh. Okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

Right away, police see something alarming. Shell casings belonging to a.22 caliber. But Frank immediately tells him it's not weird. Michaela often sat back here and shot at wild animals from her shed. But that's not even the most alarming detail.

[Garrett Moreland]

I don't. I mean, they're in a small town. I don't know if I find that that weird.22 is usually not something. I mean, yeah, I don't know. For some reason, I don't find that. That weird. Knowing what. Like the. Knowing what a.22 is. Knowing it's a small town, like, casual Saturday activity. Yeah. Honestly, like, it wouldn't surprise me if she was out her window, like, shooting birds or shooting squirrels. Not saying you should do that. I'm just saying that, yeah, that wouldn't spark instant red flags.

[Peyton Moreland]

We shouldn't be like, what?

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, exactly.

[Peyton Moreland]

Now, this isn't even the most alarming detail because there also appears to be some blood drops on the floor and. And on the sheets of the bed. Now, of course, the next thing police ask is, where's the gun? Like, where is the.22 that those shell casings come from? And Frank says, oh, that's actually back in the main house where I'm staying. They're like, okay. You just said she uses it out here, But, I mean, it's possible. It's possible it could have been moved.

[Garrett Moreland]

I guess so.

[Peyton Moreland]

So he leads them back, shows them the gun, and they realize this gun has been fired recently. There is gunshot residue on the barrel and the breach of the gun where the ammunition is loaded. And it's at this point, the deputies are like, hey, we're going to call for more backup because, interesting. While this is still a missing person's case, they have blood, they have shell casings. They have a gun that's recently been fired. And so they're like, maybe this is a missing person's case, but also a potential homicide, and they need their criminal investigation team out there for more support. So that is where Lieutenant Dakota Black comes in. She is a trained tracker with the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office nearby in Shawnee, Oklahoma. So basically, she's the one you call if there's, like, a manhunt. Her male colleagues at the sheriff's office admit even they're intimidated by Lieutenant Black's skill set and just overall bad a. Like, she can track someone she knows her way around the wild, around the forest, whether she's on the shooting ranger out in the field, she's just kind of someone you don't want to bet against. And my favorite part about her might be her trained therapy dog that she brings with her on these investigations because she knows how calming and helpful it can be to the families who are in the midst of an investigation like this. So she literally brings her dog who is trained to, like, ease the tension.

[Garrett Moreland]

I love animals. I love pets. I mean, I love all animals, but.

[Peyton Moreland]

Right.

[Garrett Moreland]

Love them.

[Peyton Moreland]

When Lieutenant Black is called out to look for Michaela that September night, this case hits differently than usual. Not only was she and Michaela born one day apart, so they're the same age. Lt. Black admits that she's been in situations of intimate partner abuse before. So when she shows up and it's like, you know, this boyfriend who's apparently on a break, open marriage, husband. She kind of just fills this, like, connection to Michaela, maybe more than she cares to admit. But that doesn't mean the police have stopped following other leads. Every single white pickup truck matching the description Frank gave is being called down to the station to be ruled out. And that might seem extreme, but again, we are in a very small town. The family is putting up flyers all over town. Mikayla's face is being plastered all over social media. Drones are actually scouring the wooded areas around the area, and kayaks traverse the nearby waters looking for signs of a body. And during all of this, like, this pretty intense search for a small town. Frank Byers husband doesn't do a thing. Lieutenant Black says he never went out with any of the search parties.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

He didn't really show any motion at all towards the fact that his wife was still missing. The few things he did do seemed completely performative to her. And mostly all of this was from the comfort of his own couch. Like, he says, no, I'm still texting and calling Michaela's phone daily, praying she'll pick up.

[Garrett Moreland]

Nice. I'm talking about, good job, dude.

[Peyton Moreland]

Also, like, I don't know, just like, pat yourself on the back for continuing to call when that's like a very normal thing people go through.

[Garrett Moreland]

Your wife's missing. I'm glad you're calling her and texting

[Peyton Moreland]

and like, like bragging about it.

[Garrett Moreland]

What a guy.

[Peyton Moreland]

And he posts on Facebook claiming, quote, she means the world to me. She literally is the backbone of our family. I love her deeply. She's a good woman and a great moment. Which is why on day three of the search effort, Lieutenant Black calls Frank in for additional questioning. Playing the good cop, she caters to his feelings. Say, I know how upset you must be. And his story does stay pretty consistent. Michaela left on this date. She never made it home. So without enough evidence, Lieutenant Black is forced to let him go. For now, though, it's around this same time that the police get some information back on Michaela's cell phone data. The report shows her phone last pinged a tower within a three mile radius of her home, meaning wherever she went with this phone, it likely wasn't far, or at least her cell phone didn't travel far. Now, unfortunately, clues were proving really hard to come by in this case. There really wasn't a shred of evidence showing where Michaela had gone or who she left with during those first few days of the investigation. Until her mom, Barbara, shared some pretty shocking details with police. Barbara claims she was crawling through the brush on the property around day three of the search when, according to her, she had a premonition. She claims it was like Michaela's voice had appeared in her head and whispered something to her. Quote, mama, I'm in a tin horn. Now, Barbara could sense that whatever this experience was, it was critical to the investigation. It wasn't just a thought or a theory. She claims this is mother's intuition. This is divine messaging, a mother's intuition telling her that's where they needed to search. Now, if you don't know, tin horns are those metal or plastic culvert pipes that you see directing water to flow underneath roads to keep them from flooding.

[Garrett Moreland]

Those are called tin horns.

[Peyton Moreland]

Tin horns. And it seemed like there were quite a few of these in the area. So from that point on, Barbara begins checking every single one that she comes across. She tells the police, but she's also like, I'm just gonna start checking all of the ones in town, specifically waiting through creek beds and canals to see if there's any sign of her daughter. And unfortunately there isn't until day five of the investigation.

[Garrett Moreland]

Holy crap. All right, let's hear this.

[Peyton Moreland]

Now, that afternoon, September 20, 2023, Michaela's cousin is out searching for her along with basically the rest of the town. She and a friend are about a half a mile away from Michaela's house when they are just hit with this horrible smell. And they kind of keep following the scent down a trail which eventually brings them right to a tin horn.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

And there along the opening, they see a human hand sticking out way of a rolled up piece of carpet. So they're searching for a body at this point. So they immediately call 911 to say, hey, we're pretty sure we just found Michaela.

[Garrett Moreland]

I always wonder like putting a body somewhere where it's eventually going to be found.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah.

[Garrett Moreland]

You know what I'm saying? Like, it's not like it was in the bottom of the ocean, like, or they try to like hide it. Like they put it somewhere where, like rolled up in a carpet also, like what? You know what I'm saying?

[Peyton Moreland]

I'm just gonna speak broadly here. If you are the killer and you hear that Barbara, the mom goes to police and says she's in a tin

[Garrett Moreland]

horn that you think you move it

[Peyton Moreland]

like, well, just imagine the like. How, how did she know that?

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, I know 100%. Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

Within minutes, police are there to confirm inside that rolled up carpet is in fact the deceased body of 30 year old Michaela. She is wearing a red T shirt which had intentionally been pulled up over her head to conceal her face. She isn't wearing any pants or underwear, but she still has on one sock with little teddy bears on it.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh my God.

[Peyton Moreland]

It's just these little details that just go to show, like, I hate it.

[Garrett Moreland]

It's so sad.

[Peyton Moreland]

You're just a normal human. You're just a normal, good human.

[Garrett Moreland]

It's so sad.

[Peyton Moreland]

And it's clear that she has been shot at least twice in the head before her killer wrapped her up and left her there.

[Garrett Moreland]

And the bullet was.

[Peyton Moreland]

There's more to the story than the bullet. Okay, let me get there. We obviously know there's no denying that Mikayla's cause of death is the two gunshot wounds to her head. But the autopsy reveals more. One in the front and one on the left side, including a third which had grazed her head. And from what I could gather, it didn't appear as though they found evidence of sexual assault, despite the fact she was dressed that that way. But at this point, Lieutenant Black feels pretty sure that she knows who is responsible. Not only did police find the gun in the home that matched the bullet wounds.

[Garrett Moreland]

So it was a.22?

[Peyton Moreland]

Yes.

[Garrett Moreland]

Dang. I'm wrong.

[Peyton Moreland]

You didn't think it was.

[Garrett Moreland]

I just find it unlikely with that type of gun. I mean, obviously possible with any gun.

[Peyton Moreland]

What's the.22?

[Garrett Moreland]

It's like. Here, I'll show you a picture real quick.

[Peyton Moreland]

I mean, I should, after doing this many cases, probably know what a.22 looks like. I feel like it's, like, small.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah. So here's like, a.22. It's like, a lot of times.22s can be okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Garrett Moreland]

It's like a long rifle, which, I mean. Yeah, it's possible. It just, like, out of all things, it surprises me. I'm pretty sure there is.22s in, like, certain types of handguns. The most positive. But I've always known it to be like a rifle.

[Peyton Moreland]

I think if we were, like, In a city, a.22 would seem a little more unlikely to me. But I think because we are in country and a lot of people might have rifles in their homes, maybe it's not that weird as a murder weapon.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, they're just usually. I'm trying to figure out how to use the right words.

[Peyton Moreland]

Like, it's because it's just a caliber bullet, right?

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah. Like, a lot of people will use it for, like.

[Peyton Moreland]

Like, multiple guns. Can be.22 caliber. Because it's just the type of ammo, correct?

[Garrett Moreland]

No, it's just, like, usually, like, a rifle that's.22 is like. Like, they're obviously dangerous because it's a gun. But, like, a lot of kids or people who are younger will learn to, like, shoot rifles with the.22.

[Peyton Moreland]

What did he want on A Christmas Story?

[Garrett Moreland]

Well, he had a BB gun.

[Peyton Moreland]

He wanted a BB gun, and they made it. That big of a deal?

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, it was a BB gun. I'm pretty sure it's a BB gun. Probably yeah. And he's like, you shoot your eye out.

[Peyton Moreland]

But I'm just like a BB gun.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

In my hometown, there were 4 year olds carrying BB guns around all day long.

[Garrett Moreland]

It's crazy. I had a paint. I had a paintball gun.

[Peyton Moreland]

Really?

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

That's crazy. All right, you guys, I'm jumping into an ad and I definitely thought bloating was pretty normal until I started taking a probiotic. I think that this was a sign. Bloating was a sign that my gut health was off. And when your gut health is off, you have no idea how much better you can really feel better health really does start in the gut. And that's why I want to tell you about Physician's Choice 60 billion probiotic. It is the simplest thing I can stick to. One capsule per day of Physician's Choice 60 billion Probiotic. And I know we hear about probiotics all of the time, but when I tell you this probiotic specifically targets gut health and it's only one capsule a day, I love it. Acid resistant capsules ensure the probiotics survive your stomach acid and reach your gut intact, which is a huge thing when you are trying to take any type of supplement. And this also includes prebiotics that help feed all that good bacteria so they actually thrive. And physician's choice 60 billion probiotic was developed with a team of doctors and contains clinically studied probiotic strains. Go to Amazon or physicianschoice.com and use code PC Podcast 10 for 10% off your entire order. Again, that's PC Podcast 10 for 10% off@ PhysiciansChoice.com Best results after a month of use. So invest in your gut. Subscribe and save up to 40% off your order. Also find Physician's Choice at all your favorite retailers.

[Garrett Moreland]

Waiting sucks. I hate waiting for things. I am not a very patient person. And earn in solves. Waiting for your paycheck.

[Peyton Moreland]

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[Garrett Moreland]

I think this is an amazing idea. I would have loved this. Loved this. Like waiting for your paycheck sometimes, or especially like when you're starting a new job too, but waiting for your for your paycheck is super frustrating. And having Earn in solves that. I think it's amazing.

[Peyton Moreland]

Download Earn in on the App Store or Google Play spelled like earning money but without the G. Earn In Type in Murder with my husband under podcast when you sign up. It just really helps the show. Let them know we sent you. Earn in is a financial technology company, not a bank. Access limits are based on your earnings and risk factors. Standard cash out takes one to two business days with no mandatory fees. Expedited transfers available for a fee. Tips are voluntary and don't affect the service. Available in select states. Terms and restrictions apply. Visit earn in.com for full details. So the bullet wounds match that caliber of gun. And Lieutenant Black has also been speaking to the family a little bit more, just trying to learn more about Michaela in the last, you know, 5ish days. And the family have all kind of told her a lot of what Frank has been saying to the police when, like, the family learns what he's been saying seems like a lie. Turns out, according to her family, there was no open relationship between Frank and Michaela. Michaela, they think, never would have agreed to do something like that, especially because they said it was actually Frank's affairs that led to this break or separation in the first place. In fact, Michaela had already spoken to Frank about getting divorced. According to her family, she didn't want to stay with him and keep their arrangement flexible. She wanted out. And the one thing that kept her on the same property as Frank were his daughters, who she loved and cared for. And also, this infidelity was nothing new, by the way. Michaela had learned that Frank started cheating on her almost right after they moved in together. Whenever he would go out of town for work, he would fire up the old dating apps and meet some locals. So about three months before her death, according to her family, Michaela finally packed a bag and went to her sister's house for a week. But she felt she needed to go back to the house eventually for Frank's girls.

[Frank Byers]

And.

[Peyton Moreland]

And that's when she decided to move to the shed so she could still be a part of the family. Maybe see if they could, like, work on things after this week break. But according to her, Frank kept cheating. And then about two days before Michaela went missing, she confronted Frank.

[Garrett Moreland]

You know, it's kind of funny the amount of people who will be like, oh, yeah, we're in an open relationship. And then you learn more about it and it's like, no, yeah, no, we know we never were in an open relationship.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah. Anyways, now she actually recorded their conversation. And so we have, like, actual quotes of this. She said, I've never once been dead set for divorce until today. I'm just saying that you have officially lost me. I'm stating to you right now that you have officially broke the last string that was holding me to you. And you have nobody to blame but yourself for doing it. And then by the weekend, Michaela was dead.

[Garrett Moreland]

That's insane, dude. What an absolute monster.

[Peyton Moreland]

Which sounds a lot different than we had an open relationship.

[Garrett Moreland]

Such an ego.

[Peyton Moreland]

It's just, if I can't have you, no one can.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, I hate that. I hate when that happens.

[Peyton Moreland]

Now you know what?

[Garrett Moreland]

Freaking annoying.

[Peyton Moreland]

Frank didn't miss a beat. He texted one of the women he was talking to almost immediately after Michaela went missing. He even sent a picture to a woman in his tux saying this is one that he had gotten for Michaela's funeral. Keep in mind, this was like before her body was found. So this gets Lieutenant Black and her colleagues wondering, what was the relationship really like with this woman that he's talking to? This is his ex girlfriend, if you remember. This is the one he said was abusive toward him and his younger girls. The one he told Michaela he needed to escape from when they first got together. And that was like, part of the reason he moved in so fast. They look her up. Her name is Crystal. And the more she talks to police, the more they realize, wow, Frank is a pretty manipulative guy. Because Crystal said Frank was abusive towards her, not the other way around. She said one time she woke up from a deep sleep to find Frank standing over her with handcuffs. There was another time when he was choking her in her sleep and he controlled her every move, tried to cut her off from her own friends and family. It was just kind of textbook behavior. Now, shockingly, she said early on in their relationship, he used the same woe is me story to get her in his clutches. He told Crystal the woman he was currently seeing was abusing him and his daughters and he needed to get out for safety. Apparently this is like his pattern. She never reported the incident, but she was able to walk away from the situation with her life. But Michaela never seemed to tell anyone her full experience either. Her mother, Barbara, really appeared to to beat herself up over this. She admitted there were times when she did see bruises on Michaela or maybe since there was some manipulation happening in the marriage that was kind of toxic. But Michaela never admitted to it, and she would just say Things like, she was roughhousing with the kids. It wasn't until later, looking back on the situation. She's now dead, that her family was like, maybe there's more to the story here. But now that the entire town knew the unspoken truth, that Frank Byers was basically suspect number one, everyone was turning against him. When Michaela's school that she worked for held a vigil for her, Frank was banned from attending. People even blocked his view with their trucks to make sure he couldn't, like, view from afar. But Frank couldn't seem to keep his mouth shut about this case. He kept going on social media, defending himself, insisting he was innocent. Truth would reveal itself in time. He went on the local news at one point and said this quote, even

[Frank Byers]

today, I called her.

[Garrett Moreland]

I mean,

[Frank Byers]

I know she's not here,

[Garrett Moreland]

but

[Frank Byers]

it's just a fact that I have her number still, and her phone's still on somewheres. And it just. It would have been nice to say

[Peyton Moreland]

her voice, he's just, like, real. He thinks, a call.

[Garrett Moreland]

What a weird guy.

[Peyton Moreland]

The most sacrificial thing a man can do for a woman is call her phone.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

So he says, it's just. It would have been nice to hear her voice. So, as you can imagine, there were a lot of people close to the case who were getting frustrated with the lack of progress. They're like, hey, everyone knows who did it. Like, everyone knows he's out here living his life.

[Garrett Moreland]

There's no ev. I mean, actually, yeah. I mean, if the bullet matches the gun, like, what else? Or matches. What else do. I mean?

[Peyton Moreland]

Okay, so to be fair, Lt. Black was annoyed by this, too. The problem was, even though everyone felt like Frank was guilty, they just didn't feel like they had enough to make an arrest. I mean, it's not even a match. It's a match of the. Like, the type of. You know. So that was.

[Garrett Moreland]

It's just a bullet, right? Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

That wasn't until detectives uncovered something inside Frank and Michaela's home while executing a search warrant that October. So the first thing they find was some security footage that was also saved on an app on Frank's phone. Now, police think Frank tried to delete the footage, but didn't realize that he was unsuccessful. Because on that tape, you can see Michaela coming home from work that Last day, Friday, September 15th.

[Garrett Moreland]

So sad.

[Peyton Moreland]

I know. Around her usual time, she comes through the front door. She stays for 14 minutes. During this, it looks like she and Frank are arguing. And then Michaela leaves, and Frank is seen standing at the door, like he's gonna follow her. Now, the police think this wasn't the moment Michaela got in the car on a date with another man. Instead, they believe Frank actually followed her out back to the shed where she was staying. So she didn't even go on it,

[Garrett Moreland]

Got it, and then killed her.

[Peyton Moreland]

She went out back to the shed. He followed her and killed her in her shed in cold blood. Now, from there, the evidence kept mounting because police discovered that Michaela's cell phone, the missing cell phone that he keeps calling, was actually still inside the family home, hidden in a drawer.

[Garrett Moreland]

You've got to be. You're lying.

[Peyton Moreland]

Also, the SIM card had been removed. This random man who took her on a date broke back into the home, removed the SIM card.

[Garrett Moreland]

Honestly, it just goes to show how dumb this guy is. Also, like, an absolute. Just this idiot. What an idiot. What an idiot.

[Peyton Moreland]

So the SIM card was removed and put into a different phone, and the reason for this was you could then get into it without a passcode.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

Then he was using it to fake the conversation he allegedly had with Michaela the night she disappeared when she went on her date.

[Garrett Moreland]

Got it.

[Peyton Moreland]

The one where she messaged him saying, I'm fine. Back off. By the way, around the same time, might I add, that these texts were coming in from the phone that's in a different sim from the SIM card that's now in a different phone in the house. Frank was texting another woman with his own phone, saying, quote, I'm not getting back with Michaela. I'm willing to do anything and everything I possibly can to make sure you are secure in this. He's sending a text to a woman after he just killed his wife while faking these messages. Okay, but there's more. We have a Walmart receipt that is found from a purchase made the day Michaela went missing. A mop, bleach, ammonia, everything you would need to clean up a crime scene. And Frank was caught on security footage at the Walmart making this purchase. And then you have the carpet, the one Michaela's body was found in.

[Garrett Moreland]

You can always kind of Walmart for security footage.

[Peyton Moreland]

The police ask around about this carpet. A neighbor comes forward. They say, that's the same one I gave to Michaela and Frank for their dogs eight or nine months ago. So we know it was in their. Their property. But let's talk about the bullet, the one that grazed Michaela's head, that was actually found in the wall of the shed Michaela was staying in, still wrapped in her Hair. Which basically confirms that the shooting happened in there, not on a date. Yeah, with a random guy. They weren't able to get DNA confirmation on the hair, but they did find their smoking gun somewhere else. Frank's work boots had been collected as evidence the night he filed the missing persons report. Initially, they spotted something on them they believed could be blood. But they also knew that Frank worked with chemicals. 38 days after Michaela was last seen alive, police got results back. The substance on the boots was blood, and it was Michaela's DNA. On October 24, 2023, 39 days after Michaela was last seen, a SWAT team surrounded Frank's home. He was placed under arrest and later charged with first degree murder, unauthorized removal of a dead body, and desecration of a human corpse. The district attorney really wanted the death penalty for Frank, but the defense proposed a deal. Plead guilty and serve life without parole instead. And that is what 34 year old Frank did. On January 31, 2025, he pleaded guilty to his crimes. But Michaela's family was far from satisfied with this outcome. Her mother, Barbara, said she thought the deal was a total cop out and justice hadn't been served because she and others think Frank didn't do this alone. Barbara does not believe that Frank had the strength to move the body into his truck by himself. In fact, she's gonna go to her grave saying there was an accomplice.

[Garrett Moreland]

I mean, I don't. I don't doubt that at all.

[Peyton Moreland]

And as for Lieutenant Black, she's not ruling it out either. She's like, yes, moving this body would have been pretty tough, but people do pretty incredible things when they're scared and they have adrenaline.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, that part's true, too.

[Peyton Moreland]

But if there's one thing we've learned from this story, it's that Barbara's instincts have been right before, so they could be right about this, too. If you have any tips or information regarding Michaela's case, you can contact the Sheriff's office at 405-273-1727. And in the meantime, Barbara's chosen to reframe the way Michaela's remembered. She has since started a foundation in her daughter's name called Michaela's Purple Butterfly.

[Garrett Moreland]

No.

[Peyton Moreland]

To help people get out of situations with intimate partner abuse. And if you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, you can contact the National Domestic violence hotline at 1-800-799-7233. And that is the story of Michaela Mavy.

[Garrett Moreland]

Once again, I feel like this just happened last week. You never know somebody. Like the fact that you can be married to someone who will kill someone

[Peyton Moreland]

and like be texting a woman at the same time.

[Garrett Moreland]

Sorry, not kill someone. Kill you.

[Peyton Moreland]

It's the weirdest cognitive dissonance.

[Garrett Moreland]

Do people really not show signs or is it just that? I don't know.

[Peyton Moreland]

I mean, he seemed to kind of have a pattern with this behavior.

[Garrett Moreland]

That's horrible.

[Peyton Moreland]

Horrible. All right, you guys, thank you for listening to this week's episode or watching and we will see you you next time with another one. I love it and I hate it. Goodbye.

[Carrington College Advertiser]

Your next chapter in healthcare starts at Carrington College's School of Nursing in Portland. Join us for our open house on Tuesday, January 13th from 4 to 7pm you'll tour our campus, see live demos, meet instructors, and learn about our associate degree in nursing program that prepares you to become a registered nurse. Take the first step toward your nursing career. Save your spot now at Carrington Edu Events. For information on program outcomes, visit carrington. Edu Sci.