Detective Dakota Black says the cruelty of this murder will stay with her. After Makayla Meave was reported missing on Sept. 16, 2023, investigators found her body five days later wrapped in carpet inside a drainage pipe. Forensic evidence — including Makayla's blood on her husband's work boots, security images, a matched carpet and phone-forensics showing message manipulation — led to Frank Byers' arrest. Byers later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life without parole; Makayla's family has launched a foundation to fight domestic violence.
Detective: "This Case Will Stay With Me Forever" — How A Small Oklahoma Community Uncovered Makayla Meave's Murder
Makayla Meave and Frank Byers on their wedding day. / Credit: Frank Byers Facebook
Shawnee, Oklahoma — Lieutenant Dakota Black, a seasoned tracker and detective with the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office, says the cruelty of this case will remain with her forever. What began as a missing-person report in mid-September 2023 unfolded into a painstaking homicide investigation that ended with Makayla Meave's husband pleading guilty to first-degree murder.
Initial Report And Growing Suspicion
On Sept. 16, 2023, family members reported teacher's aide Makayla Meave missing after she failed to show up at work and did not answer calls. Her husband, Frank Byers, told relatives she had left the night before with "a bald man in a white truck." Deputies responding to the scene found the shed where Makayla had been staying locked and observed what they believed to be recently fired shell casings in her temporary home.
"This is suspicious as f***," Deputy Dustin Richardson said on his body camera after surveying the property.
Detective Lt. Dakota Black and Detective Marcus May issued a BOLO (be on the lookout) for a white truck and a white, bearded, bald man. As tips poured in from the tight-knit rural community of Macomb, investigators began to focus on inconsistencies in Byers' story and his unusual behavior — notably his absence from search efforts.
Discovery And Crime Scene
Five days after Makayla disappeared, searchers following a strong, foul odor located her body inside a large drainage pipe (a "tinhorn") beneath a road. She was wrapped in a carpet, partially covered, and had one sock with a teddy-bear design still on her foot. The scene devastated family and investigators alike.
"This case will stay with me forever. Because of how cruel it was," Lt. Dakota Black said.
Building The Case
Investigators compiled a body of circumstantial and forensic evidence that tied Byers to the crime:
- Security photos and a series of images from Byers' phone showed Makayla entering and leaving his home the day she disappeared; the last image captured Byers at his own front door minutes later.
- A carpet found wrapped around the body was matched to a rug previously given to the couple.
- Fresh tire tracks suggested a vehicle had been backed up to the small house where Makayla had stayed.
- Makayla's phones were recovered in Byers' bedroom; investigators concluded Byers switched SIMs and used her devices to send messages that created the appearance she left voluntarily.
- Lab testing of a substance on Byers' work boots confirmed the presence of Makayla's blood.
Investigators also recovered a projectile embedded in a bedroom wall but it did not produce usable DNA. Throughout the investigation, detectives gathered testimonies indicating Byers had been unfaithful and controlling, and interviews with former partners described abusive behavior.
Arrest, Charge And Plea
About five weeks after Makayla vanished, forensic results prompted a late-night arrest by a SWAT team. Byers was charged with first-degree murder and prosecutors initially sought the death penalty. Fifteen months later, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life without parole. The plea resolved the criminal case but left some family members feeling justice was incomplete.
Family Response And Legacy
Makayla's mother, Barbara Harper, criticized the plea deal as a "cop out" and continues to believe others may have been involved. The family has begun memorial efforts at the site and launched plans for "Makayla's Purple Butterfly," a foundation aimed at supporting victims of domestic violence and raising awareness. Makayla's sister, Andria Meave, and other relatives remember her as a devoted caregiver to children and a woman with a bright laugh and generous heart.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
Credits: This article is based on reporting and interviews from the original broadcast and reporting team.
An image from bodycam video shows Frank Byers with Deputy Richardson outside the shed where Byers said Makayla Meave had been staying. / Credit: Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office
Makayla Meave, right, with her sister Andria and mother Barbara Harper. / Credit: Andria Meave
Frank Byers / Credit: Frank Byers Facebook
The tinhorn — a culvert used to divert water under roads — where Makayla Meave's body was discovered wrapped in a carpet. / Credit: CBS News
Makayla Meave's mother Barbara Harper arrives at the crime scene.
A home security camera photo of Makayla Meave, right, seen walking through the front door of the home she once shared with Frank Byers, on the day of her murder. / Credit: Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office
Lt. Dakota Black, a tracker and detective with the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and her partner, Deputy Haven, a trained therapy dog. / Credit: CBS News
Frank Byers seen in a Walmart security image buying bleach, ammonia and a mop on Sept. 16, 2023. / Credit: Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office
Makayla Meave's blood was found on Frank Byers' work boots. / Credit: Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office
Bodycam video shows Frank Byers the night of his arrest. / Credit: Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office
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