A investigation has revealed that a McAlester woman who was found dead from a gunshot wound outside Woodland Hills Mall last week committed suicide, police reported Monday.

Tulsa police began investigating whether 21-year-old Samantha Barlow's death was a homicide after her body was spotted in the mall's parking lot Thursday night.

Barlow was found lying on the pavement outside her running car on the south side of the mall, near 71st Street east of Memorial Drive, with a gunshot wound and a single shell casing nearby. Sgt. Dave Walker said the next day that detectives were investigating the "suicide angle, the murder angle and an accidental shooting angle."

On Monday, Walker said the investigation found that Barlow was alone at a Walmart store near 66th Street and Memorial minutes before her death. She reportedly printed several pictures and purchased stamps and an envelope.


Detectives located a book of stamps with one stamp missing but could not find the envelope or the pictures, Walker said. However, they did link her to an inmate incarcerated at the Pittsburg County Jail, he said.

Police intercepted the letter at the jail Monday and discovered a note from Barlow indicating that she intended to kill herself, Walker said. Along with the letter were photos of Barlow that she printed at the store.

Last week, Walker said "Barlow … came to the Tulsa area periodically as an independent exotic dancer."