Woman Shoots And Kills Husband, Self In Wagoner County

Lacie Lowry, News On 6

BROKEN ARROW, Oklahoma -- A call to the Wagoner County Sheriff's Office Tuesday led authorities to an apparent murder suicide east of Broken Arrow.

The Wagoner County Sheriff's office says a 53-year-old woman called dispatch, told them to send a coroner to her house, then hung up.

Investigators say she then shot her husband three times while he was sitting at his computer, then turned the gun on herself. Deputies also found two dogs that had been shot and killed.

Their names haven't been released, but neighbors told investigators the couple was getting divorced.

Suicide prevention counselor Stacie Barnett says the murder-suicide involved a stressful situation.

"Divorce is a major life change," Barnett said. "Any of those things that really alter the way you thought your life should, or your life course should progress I think is what makes divorce particularly stressful."

Barnett with Family and Children's Services says one out of every three calls to the office's mobile crisis team is suicide related.

"Suicide is very complex. It's never just one factor that influences that person's decision to end their life," she said.

According to the National Institute of Justice, common characteristics of murder-suicide in families are a prior history of domestic violence, access to a gun, threats and prior history of poor mental health.

"They are just really very desperate and they are in such deep, psychological pain, they don't ever really see that there's another way out of their situation," Barnett said.

Compared to Canada, the United States has three times more family murder-suicides; compared to Britain, eight times more; and compared to Australia, 15 times more. 

ACTS Support Group

ACTS meets on the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at 102 N. Elm, Suite A, Broken Arrow, OK

ACTS is a Suicide Survivor support team in Tulsa, OK. The ACTS Team is compromised of survivors of this veiled tragedy that affects so many families. Questions related to funeral arrangements, stages of grief education, and support of the loss of someone so close are all available. Please contact the support team today 24 hours a day for any support you, your family, or friends need.

Mental Health Association of Tulsa

All support group meetings are free of charge and facilitated by a mental health professional. Meetings are held at the main offices of the Mental Health Association in Tulsa.

Survivors of Suicide Group

Nearly 31,000 people take their own lives each year. Men and women, adults and children, no one is immune to this tragedy. As a survivor – a family member or friend of the victim – you may need help coming to terms with suicide. This group offers the opportunity to share, listen, teach and learn with others who are also overcoming the loss of a loved one. Meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month at 6:00 p.m.

For more information on any of the support groups, please call (918)382-2482.