Bartlesville Murder-Suicide Victim's Friends Hope Story Helps Other Women

Bartlesville Police say a man shot his wife then himself.

Friends of the murder-suicide victim said they saw warning signs something bad could happen and hope her story can help other women who are being abused.

Everyone who knew Janie Tygart remembers her laugh the most.

"She has a unique laugh that, everybody who knows her will know what I'm talking about," Monica Marshall said.

Christina McKay said, "It was her laugh. It was by far her laugh. I mean, nobody can mimic it."

Friends say Janie laughed a lot; they say she was kindhearted, warm, and loved to drive her race car.

But they noticed a difference in their friend last fall when she got married to a man named James, who abused her.

5/28/2017 Related Story: Bartlesville Police Identify Couple In Murder-Suicide

"She sent me a lot of pictures of threatening messages from James,” McKay said. “Messages of him telling her he was going to kill her, she sent me pictures of her bruises, of him making her bleed."

With help from friends, Janie filed for a protective order against her husband in December.

Police arrested James for domestic assault and battery in front of Janie's 15-year-old son.

James moved out of the house, but friends say they still saw each other.

Saturday, Bartlesville Police say James went inside the home and shot Janie then himself. Janie's son was home at the time.

"I have stories and stories that she's told me that's just awful, and, I don't know, I'm just, I'm not surprised," McKay said.

Her friends say they're devastated and hope their friend's story inspires other women to speak up if they're in danger.

National Domestic Violence Hotline

"I just want people to get help and know that you are stronger than this," McKay said.

They have set up a GoFundMe page, with the money split between Janie's sons, to help cover expenses.