2 Arrested In Murder Of Elderly Skiatook Man, Investigators Search Pond

A man and woman are in jail, accused of killing an elderly Skiatook man. Police arrested the two Monday, as detectives searched a pond near the crime scene.

Detectives used a metal detector and a Tulsa County dive team to search the murky water for clues.

"Anything that we think might have to do with what occurred over there that might help us with a case," said Skiatook Police Detective Jerry Bullard.

The pond is just down the street from the home where 83-year-old Kenneth Cooper was robbed and shot last Wednesday.

Cooper died Saturday at a hospital.

Less than a week after the shooting, Bullard says they made a break in the case.

Amanda Glover Auten, 31, and Aaron King, 30, were arrested in connection with the robbery and murder of Cooper.

They were booked into Osage County jail on complaints of robbery. King was also being held on warrants out of Washington County.

Detectives can't say if the suspects knew Cooper personally, but Bullard said they definitely knew of him.

"A town this size, if you live in this town for any period of time, you're probably aware of Mr. Cooper," Bullard said. "He's built a lot of house here in Skiatook and a lot of developments."

Cooper's grandson said $10,000 in cash was stolen from his grandfather's freezer the night he was shot.

When asked if the crime was motivated by money, Bullard said, "That's probably, yeah, at this point and time, unless something else comes to light, that would be probably a good bet."

But when asked for a comment before being taken to the Osage County Jail, both Auten and King were silent.

King has a long record of convictions in Washington and Tulsa Counties. Department of Corrections records show he has been incarcerated on numerous drug and forgery charges. He's currently serving a suspended sentence for possession of a controlled substance and possession of stolen property.

Auten pleaded guilty in June to falsely impersonating another to create liability. For that she received a two-year deferred sentence. According to the arrest report, police pulled over a vehicle she was riding in and she lied about her identity to avoid being arrested on two warrants for petite larceny from a retailer.

8/18/2013 Related Story: Elderly Skiatook Shooting Victim Dies, Police Seek Persons Of Interest