Two Oklahoma City cousins conspired to cover up slaying during drug deal, investigators say

Jessica Cornwell, 33, and Adena Beasley, 32, were arrested Friday on felony complaints of unauthorized removal of a body in the death of Nathan Dale Blankenship, 32, of Lindsay.

Cornwell and Beasley are cousins; Beasley and Blankenship were dating, according to the affidavit.

In a Feb. 4 interview, Beasley told OSBI investigators Cornwell stabbed Blankenship in the heart with a knife Feb. 2 because he “freaked out” while the three were driving to Madill to borrow money from Cornwell's father to pay a drug debt, according to the affidavit. Beasley said Cornwell refused to take Blankenship to a hospital.

After hearing Blankenship take his last breaths, the cousins dumped the body and returned to Oklahoma City, Beasley said.

Cornwell had a different version of Blankenship's death when police interviewed her Thursday. She told investigators Beasley and Blankenship got into a fight while the three were driving on Interstate 35 near Wayne, and Blankenship started swinging a knife wildly and cut Cornwell's hand.

Cornwell said Beasley then grabbed Blankenship from behind and forced the knife into his chest, according to the affidavit.

Cornwell showed officers the cuts on her hand and led officers to Blankenship's body in a trash pile behind a mobile home in Seminole County, according to the affidavit. The body had been rolled up in a piece of carpet.

Investigators said due to Blankenship's large size, Beasley and Cornwell must have worked together to dispose of the body.