Investigators Study Knife Found Near Slain Pastor's Church

(CNN) -- Investigators plan to examine a knife found near an Oklahoma church where a 61-year-old pastor was killed, they said Friday.

Police found the nude body of Carol Daniels, her arms outstretched, lying behind the altar of Christ Holy Sanctified Church in Anadarko, Oklahoma, about 50 miles from Oklahoma City, a source close to the investigation said.

She died of "multiple sharp-force injuries," according to a preliminary autopsy report that detailed wounds to her neck, back, chest and hand.

Now the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has submitted a knife for forensic analysis, said Steve Neuman, a spokesman for the bureau. He said Friday that he could not comment on the usefulness of the knife to investigators.

The knife -- 8 to 10 inches long -- was found near a car wash across from the church by a satellite truck operator for CNN affiliate KOCO-TV of Oklahoma City, the station reported. Neuman said investigators appreciate the operator and the station for "handling the situation the way they did."

Meanwhile, KOCO broadcast an interview with an Anadarko man, Robert Robertson, who said he saw someone leaving the church on the day Daniels died.

"At the time, I looked around the corner, he was coming out of the front door," Robertson said in an interview posted on the station's Web site. He said the man "had something like a ski mask on" and "was covered in blood."

Robertson told the station that he sleeps at the car wash and investigators have interviewed him.

Daniels was found dead August 23.

District attorney Bret Burns has described the crime scene as "horrific," the worst he's seen in 17 years as a prosecutor. Jessica Brown, a spokeswoman for Oklahoma's State Bureau of Investigation, has said that the body was "staged" after the killing, but she declined to elaborate.

Daniels' clothes were taken from the scene, and a dissolving agent had been sprayed around her body, the source close to the investigation told CNN.

Investigators have offered a $15,000 reward and brought in an FBI profiler.

Daniels' son, Alvin Daniels, has told CNN that she traveled many Sundays to Anadarko, "in case people came to worship" in the church.

He told HLN's "Nancy Grace" that his mother was "always joking with us and always taking care of us, even giving her last dollar even if she didn't have it."

Oklahoma Pastor Was Found Nude, Stabbed Behind Altar, Source Says

(CNN) -- A 61-year-old pastor who was killed in a rural Oklahoma church was found lying behind the altar with her arms outstretched, a source close to the investigation told CNN.

It was one of the latest details to emerge in the killing of Carol Daniels, whose nude body was found in the Christ Holy Sanctified Church in Anadarko, Oklahoma, in a crime scene the district attorney described as "horrific."

Her clothes were taken from the scene, and a dissolving agent had been sprayed around her body, the source said.

An FBI profiler was brought in during the weekend to assist investigators, Steve Neuman, a spokesman for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, said Monday. Authorities also have increased to $15,000 a reward for information.

Daniels, from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was found inside the church August 23. She died from "multiple sharp-force injuries," according to a preliminary autopsy report obtained by CNN. Sharp-force injuries mean cuts or stab wounds.

Diagrams in the autopsy notes show Daniels suffered injuries to the side and back of her neck, her back and her left breast. She also suffered wounds to her hands, a typical spot for defensive wounds resulting from attempts to ward off an attack.

In addition, the autopsy notes say a portion of Daniels' hair appeared singed or burned. The medical examiner classified her death as a homicide.

Daniels' son, Alvin Daniels, told CNN that she traveled many Sundays to Anadarko, about 50 miles southwest of her home, to the church "in case people came to worship."

District Attorney Bret Burns has called the crime scene the worst he'd seen in 17 years as a prosecutor but gave no further explanation. Jessica Brown, a spokeswoman for Oklahoma's State Bureau of Investigation, said last week the body was "staged" after the killing, but declined to elaborate.

Meanwhile, Neuman said, video surveillance from a convenience store near the church is being analyzed, a process that started Friday. He declined to comment on the condition of Daniels' body when found.

Alvin Daniels told HLN's "Nancy Grace" that his mother was "always joking with us and always taking care of us, even giving her last dollar, even if she didn't have it."

He said she took precautions at the church. "She was very cautious for the most part, and she would usually leave the door open in case people came to worship," he said.

The death has unnerved religious leaders in Anadarko, said Ted Mercer, pastor of Grace Christian Fellowship, which is about three blocks from the church were Daniels' body was found.

Those Animals...

(CNN) -- A 61-year-old Oklahoma pastor likely died from "multiple sharp force injuries," according to an autopsy report CNN obtained Friday.

Carol Daniels, a pastor from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, had injuries to her back, breasts, hands and neck, the report from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said.

The report called the death a homicide.

Investigators in Oklahoma have offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the responsible person. A local prosecutor has described the crime scene as "horrific."

Daniels traveled many Sundays to Anadarko, Oklahoma, about 50 miles southwest of her home, to Christ Holy Sanctified Church "in case people came in to worship," her son, Alvin Daniels, told CNN.

Investigators found her body inside the church around noon on Sunday.

District Attorney Bret Burns called the crime scene the worst he'd seen in 17 years as a prosecutor, but he would not say why. He also declined to comment about a possible motive.

Jessica Brown, a spokeswoman for Oklahoma's State Bureau of Investigation, said the body was "staged" after the killing, but she declined to say more. She said investigators have some "promising" leads, but a bureau statement says police have no suspects.

The pastor's son described her as a loving mother.

"She was always joking with us and always taking care of us, even giving her last dollar even if she didn't have it," Alvin Daniels said on HLN's "Nancy Grace."

He said she took precautions at the church.

"She was very cautious for the most part and she would usually leave the door open in case people came to worship," he said.

The death has unnerved religious leaders in Anadarko, said Ted Mercer, pastor of Grace Christian Fellowship, which is about three blocks from the church were Daniel's body was found.

Burns met with several religious leaders this week. He urged them to be observant and have a security plan in place at their churches, Mercer said.

Man Accused Of Drowning Girl At Metro Lake

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A metro man has been arrested in connection with the drowning of a 2-year-old girl Thursday at Lake Stanley Draper.

Donald Michael Reeser, 29, was booked into the Oklahoma County Jail on one count of first-degree murder in the death of Allie Croom.

Police were called to Midwest City Regional Hospital at about 5:30 p.m., and investigators from the Crimes Against Children Unit also responded.

Investigators said Reeser, who is the boyfriend of the toddler's mother, was at the lake with the victim. They believe Reeser repeatedly forced the child under water until she drowned.

A fund for the girl's family has been established at Tinker Federal Credit Union.