Oklahoma Investigators Release New Details in Shooting Deaths of Skyla Whitaker and Taylor Paschal-Placker

Autopsies on the two victims were conducted on Monday, at which time investigators revealed that the girls had been shot in the head and chest. Investigators have yet to clarify how many times each girl was shot. It also remains unclear whether the girls were sexually assaulted, pending the completion of DNA testing on evidence collected during the autopsies.

The theory among investigators is that the perpetrator(s) involved in the killings is/are local to the community, given the remote location of the murder scene, which America's Most Wanted has described as "not the kind of place someone would happen upon."

According to Skyla's friends, she loved animals and wanted to be a veterinarian when she grew up. Taylor was also an animal lover but had decided on a different path for her life and looked forward to becoming a forensic scientist. Both girls enjoyed learning, and together they attended Graham School District.

"Taylor was the smartest in the whole class," classmate Bryan Smith, 13, told Newsok.com, adding, "and I remember Skyla was always laughing and always had a smile on her face. If you look at her pictures, she always had a smile."

In a separate interview with the Associated Press, Taylor's aunt, Nell Mosher, said, "It's the most tragic thing that I've ever seen. They were just two precious little babies; they were good girls."

Taylor's funeral service is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Friday at the Dewar First Baptist church. Skyla's funeral services also will take place Friday, at 2:00 p.m., at the First Baptist Church at Henryetta.

A bank account has been set up to help the girls' families pay for the funeral expenses. Donations can be sent to Bank of Commerce, P.O. Box 48, Weleetka, OK 74880.

The OSBI is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the murders. Anyone with information is asked to contact the OSBI hotline at 800-522-8017 or the Okfuskee County Sheriff's Office at 918-623-1122.