An Oklahoma woman, aged 63, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of her 3-year-old granddaughter, whose body was found decomposing in a trash can. Becky Ann Vreeland was handed down the sentence by Cleveland County District Court Judge Lynne McGuire for the 2022 killing of Riley Lynn Nolan, according to court documents.
Vreeland was accused of beating the toddler to death, with investigators finding indentations in the bathroom wall that matched the size of a child’s head. Vreeland entered a no-contest plea to a single count of first-degree murder related to Riley’s death last week. In Oklahoma, a life sentence equates to 45 years, and due to the heinous nature of the crime, Vreeland is required to serve at least 85% of her sentence. This means she will be nearly 100 years old before she is eligible for parole.
As part of the plea agreement, a single count of desecration of a human corpse was dismissed. The Oklahoma City Police Department responded to a distress call at a residence on SW151 Street on June 21, 2022. Upon arrival, they discovered the deceased child.
The police found the body of Riley Nolan in a trash can at the residence, showing clear signs of physical trauma. At the time of the incident, Riley was under the care of her grandmother, Vreeland. Following an interview at the police department, Vreeland was arrested and booked into the Cleveland County Jail on suspicion of murder.
Despite the evidence, Vreeland has consistently claimed that Riley’s death was an unfortunate accident, insisting that the child fell from a ladder in the backyard. A homicide detective testified that Riley’s body was found in a recycling bin outside Vreeland’s home, covered with two blankets and surrounded by the child’s toys.
Investigators found blood spatter throughout Vreeland’s home, including in the master bedroom and bathroom. A total of 28 swabs were taken for analysis, many of which tested positive for Riley’s DNA. In the master bathroom, police found two small indentations in the wall, consistent with the size of a child’s head.
Vreeland told police that she usually stored Riley’s toys in the recycling bin at the back of the house. She claimed that Riley climbed a pool ladder next to the bin, fell, and died. Vreeland said she discovered Riley’s body the next morning. However, it was Vreeland’s ex-husband, Riley’s grandfather, who found the decomposing body three days later and alerted the police. Vreeland did not report the incident, fearing that her other grandchildren would be taken away from her. Police noted that the ladder next to the recycling bin was missing its base and would have collapsed if anyone attempted to use it.