The Search for Makayla Meave

The sheriff’s office had high regard for Lt. Dakota Black, often calling her a cool and tough figure. As a skilled tracker and detective in Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office, Shawnee, Oklahoma, she led searches for missing persons. Her work took her to many unexpected locations to locate the missing, both alive and deceased.

Lt. Black: I participate in manhunts to find lost individuals.

Her partner in many operations is Deputy Haven, a therapy dog providing comfort to families in distress.

Lt. Black: This case will remain unforgettable due to its cruel nature.

Makayla Meave went missing on September 15, 2023. Her sister, Andria Meave, received routine morning calls from Makayla. But on September 16, her husband, Frank Byers, informed Andria of Makayla’s disappearance. Frank mentioned that Makayla had gone out with a bald man in a white truck and did not return home.

At the time, Makayla and Frank were living separately on their 10-acre property in Macomb, Oklahoma, as they were headed for a divorce. Initially, Andria wasn’t worried.

Andria Meave: By noon, I grew anxious.

Their mother, Barbara Harper, grew concerned when Makayla failed to show up at their family restaurant. Frank reported Makayla missing, stating she had left and had not contacted anyone since the previous evening.

Deputy Dustin Richardson was dispatched to Macomb. Frank showed the deputy a Facebook message from Makayla, assuring she was fine. Frank described the man Makayla left with as bald and bearded. Deputy Richardson examined Makayla’s locked shed, where she lived temporarily.

Growing suspicious, the deputy explored the school where Makayla worked, while her family searched the property. Barbara Harper combed through brush desperate to find her daughter. Inside Makayla’s dwelling, the deputy found empty .22 caliber shell casings and later confirmed the gun was recently fired.

This resulted in a criminal investigation, and Lt. Dakota Black was assigned to lead it. Immediate efforts included issuing a BOLO alert. Community efforts were vast, with flyers and social media posts circulating everywhere.

The Life and Tragedy of Makayla Meave

Makayla Meave was closely connected to children, often helping those in need and standing up for them. Unable to have children, she adopted two siblings to provide them with a home.

Makayla met Frank through Facebook. He had primary custody of his four daughters and mentioned they were being mistreated, drawing her in with a plea for help. Frank and Makayla wed in 2022. However, Frank’s infidelity led Makayla to seek separation.

During investigations, detectives found Makayla’s remains in a drainage pipe wrapped in a carpet. It confirmed Barbara Harper’s intuition that Makayla was in a tin horn.

The detectives suspected involvement of someone else with Frank, but no evidence supported this. Investigators discovered Frank’s affair continued, even using social media during Makayla’s funeral to connect with other women.

Byers meticulously created falsified messages using Makayla’s two phones to appear innocent. Frank’s eventual arrest followed the discovery of Makayla’s blood on his work boots.

Frank Byers was charged and pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty and received a life sentence. Barbara Harper expressed dissatisfaction, believing justice was not fully served. She remains confident Frank had help but lacked evidence to prove it.

In Makayla’s memory, a foundation ‘Makayla’s Purple Butterfly’ was established by her mother to combat domestic violence, continuing Makayla’s legacy of helping others.