REMEMBERING OUR SISTERS: BRITNEY MICHELLE TIGER
ADA – This week for Remembering Our Sisters, we are sharing the story of Britney Michelle Tiger. Sadly, Britney's case remains cold to this day, and we are sharing her story not only to honor her memory, but also in hopes that someone may have information that could maybe finally help bring answers to her family.
From what we learned while researching Britney's story, it's clear that she was loved by many. Britney Michelle Tiger was a loving mother of three and was only 26 years old when she was found deceased. Her siblings described her as someone with a "heart of gold." They said she could be a firecracker when she needed to be, but she was also incredibly genuine and never hesitated to lend a helping hand to someone in need. And for real, that's the best kind of person. Someone who isn't afraid to speak their mind and stand up for themselves, but who will also give you the shirt off their back if you need it.
According to the Crime and Crime Again Podcast, Britney Tiger was born in Dallas, Texas, on June 20th, 1991, and was the youngest of three children. In 2000, her family made the move to Ada, Oklahoma, where Britney would spend most of her life. As she got older, Britney became a mother. Around the age of 18, she welcomed her first child. By age 20, she had her second child, and around age 23, she welcomed her third. According to reports by NBC News, Britney's sisters described her as a genuine and kind-hearted person who dedicated much of her life to caring for her children. They remembered her as a loving mother who always put her family first and someone who was rarely seen without a smile on her face.
But as we all know, life isn't always easy, and Britney faced her own struggles along the way. According to statements reportedly made by Britney's mother, Britney may have struggled with substance abuse for a period of time. However, her family said she was trying to turn her life around and get clean, not only for herself but for her three children as well.
Despite the obstacles she faced, it appeared that Britney was trying to get her life back on track. And somewhere along the way, she reportedly found love. Reports indicate that Britney met a man named Will Gomez sometime in either 2016 or 2017. The exact timeline is a little fuzzy, but records reportedly show that the couple applied for a marriage license around April of 2017. For whatever reason, they didn't end up going through with it at that time. But a few months later, around August, they reapplied for a marriage license and officially tied the knot.
According to Britney's family, the two seemed very happy together in the beginning. Family members reportedly said the couple was inseparable and spent most of their time together. From the outside looking in, it appeared that Britney may have finally found the fresh start she had been hoping for.
But about six months into the marriage, people around Britney reportedly began noticing changes in the relationship. According to statements reportedly made by family members and others close to Britney, they believed Will had become increasingly controlling and did not like Britney going places on her own. Those individuals alleged that, to avoid arguments and conflict, Britney would often stay home instead.
According to reports, Britney told her mother on February 10th, 2018, that she was planning to leave her husband. Around that same time, her mother learned that Britney's phone was broken for reasons that remain unclear. Because of that, the two had been communicating through Facebook Messenger. Sadly, that would be the last known communication between Britney and her family.
After that conversation, Britney's family reportedly didn't hear from her for more than a week. As the days went by, they became increasingly worried. After all, they lived less than half a mile away from her, and according to those who knew her, Britney wasn't the type of person to simply vanish without contacting her loved ones.
So, on February 19th, 2018, Britney's sister filed a missing persons report. When investigators with the Ada Police Department arrived at the couple's apartment, it was reported that they found it strange that Will didn't seem overly concerned about his wife's disappearance. Investigators also reportedly questioned why he hadn't reported her missing himself. According to reports, Will told investigators that he hadn't filed a report because he didn't think anyone would be at the police department that late at night. Like wut? Last time we checked, police departments don't exactly close up shop and head home at 5 p.m.
He also reportedly stated that he was not worried because Britney had a history of leaving for weeks at a time. The problem is, Britney's family reportedly told investigators that wasn't true and that disappearing for weeks was not something she normally did. So, if that's true, it does make you wonder how someone who allegedly didn't like his wife going anywhere without him could also claim that she regularly left for weeks at a time. At the end of the day, those claims just don't seem to add up to us, but that's simply our opinion.
When investigators asked Britney's husband, Will, about the last time he saw her, he reportedly told them that Britney's three children were staying with their fathers on February 11th, 2018. So, according to his account, it was just the two of them at home that evening, and they went to bed early. He later claimed that he woke up around 3:00 a.m., and that's when he realized Britney was no longer in bed. He assumed she had left on her own because two of her hoodies and her makeup bag were missing. He also told investigators that the couple shared a cellphone and that Britney had allegedly taken it with her when she left.
And in a bit of a plot twist, investigators reportedly found that detail interesting because when they asked Will for the phone number associated with the cellphone Britney had allegedly taken, he told them he didn't know it. But then, according to reports, a phone suddenly started ringing in his pocket while they were standing there talking to him. Well, that must have been awkward.
When investigators questioned him about the phone ringing in his pocket, Will allegedly explained that because Britney had taken their only cellphone with her, he had gone out and gotten a new one. Now, this is just our opinion, but your wife is gone and one of the first things you do is go out and get a new cellphone? We don't know about y'all, but we'd probably be focused on finding our spouse first. But again, that's just our opinion.
And while investigators were still speaking with Will, they had checks running in the background. You know, routine stuff. Then came another plot twist. Dispatch reportedly came back with a hit on his name, and investigators learned that Will was under federal supervision and had a significant criminal history.
According to court records, investigators discovered that Will had previously been convicted in a federal bank robbery case. In 2011, reports indicate that he robbed approximately $7,000 from an Arvest Bank in Choctaw at gunpoint before turning himself in to authorities the following day. He later pleaded guilty to the federal offense and was sentenced to 50 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised federal release.
According to available records, his sentence was originally scheduled to end in February of 2019. However, reports indicate that he was released from prison earlier than expected, although the reason for that early release remains unclear. Investigators also learned that at the time Britney was reported missing, Will was still under federal supervision.
According to reporting by Dateline, investigators and family members expressed concern that Will did not appear to be actively searching for Britney during the days after she disappeared while authorities and loved ones searched for answers.
Sadly, Britney's story would come to a heartbreaking end on March 16th, 2018. According to reports, a rancher was out checking his cattle near Allen when he came across human remains and immediately contacted authorities. The remains were found about a mile south of the Kullihoma Stomp Grounds and roughly about 15 miles from Britney's home.
Based on the condition and position of the body, investigators reportedly believed Britney had been dragged to the location where she was found. Reports indicate her arms were positioned above her head, her shirt had been pulled up around her neck, and evidence suggested she had been dragged by her legs. Even all these years later, it's difficult to read details like that and not feel heartbroken for Britney and the people who loved her.
An autopsy later revealed the presence of methamphetamine in her system. However, due to the advanced state of decomposition, the medical examiner was unable to officially determine either her cause or manner of death.
Initially, according to reporting by Dateline, investigators treated Britney's death as a homicide. However, as the investigation continued, authorities later stated that there was not enough evidence to prove that a crime had occurred. As a result, the case was no longer officially classified as a homicide.
In 2020, there was a major development in Britney's case. According to reports by KXII, Bodhi Starns was arrested and charged with unlawful disposal of Britney Tiger's body. According to investigators, one of Will's neighbors told them he saw Starns and another man carrying a suitcase out of an apartment during the evening hours. The neighbor reportedly stated that he did not realize the significance of what he had witnessed until about two weeks later when he learned Britney had been reported missing. Investigators also spoke with another individual who alleged that Starns had made comments about getting rid of Britney's body. And a third person reportedly claimed that Starns stated during an AA meeting that he had helped dispose of the body.
But just as it seemed the case was moving forward, that same year, the Supreme Court's McGirt ruling reportedly affected the case and slowed things down significantly. According to reports, the charge involving Britney's case was dismissed in November 2020 after the court determined it lacked jurisdiction over the alleged crime in Indian Country.
However, that wasn't the end of Starns' legal troubles. According to reports, while he was in custody, authorities found him in possession of contraband, including a homemade shank. He was later convicted on those charges and sentenced to 20 years in prison, with all but 10 years suspended.
As of today, no one else has been arrested or charged in connection with Britney's disappearance and death. Britney's case officially remains open, and more than eight years later, her family is still waiting for the answers and justice they deserve.
If you know something, saw something, or have information you've never shared, now is the time to come forward. Even the smallest detail could help investigators and bring Britney's family one step closer to the answers they deserve. If you have any information regarding Britney's disappearance and death, please contact the OSBI or the Ada Police Department. Someone out there knows what happened to Britney.
Until then, we will not let Britney be forgotten. She was a mother, a sister, a daughter, and a friend. She was loved, she mattered, and her family deserves answers. We can only hope that one day they get them.
Disclaimer: No one has ever been criminally charged in connection with Britney Tiger's disappearance or death. Throughout this story, we discuss allegations, statements made by witnesses, family members, and investigators, as well as information reported by various media outlets. These allegations have not been proven in a court of law. As always, every person is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. We have made every effort to accurately present the information available at the time of publication.
Photo Credit: Images sourced from publicly available records, media reports, and online sources. All rights belong to their respective owners.
