Two Dead In Warner Murder-Suicide; Young Child Calls 911

Authorities are searching for answers after a child about 7 years old called 911 and authorites found two dead.

Friday, July 27th 2012, 11:10 am



Muskogee County officials said two people were found dead early Friday morning in a murder-suicide in Warner.

Investigators said a man came into the residence at Howard Johnson Apartments on North 6th Street, shot 37-year-old, Mindy Shatto, while she slept in her bed, and then turned the gun on himself.

Muskogee County deputies said the man was Shatto's ex-boyfriend, Charles Dickson, who apparently still had a key to get in.

With her last moments, Shatto dialed 911, and gave the phone to her 7-year-old daughter.

Deputy Bert Poole, of the Muskogee County Sheriff's Office, said, "From the evidence we have, she was in the bed, he shoots her, then shoots himself. The 7 year old daughter heard the shot and tried to come in and help her mom call 911."

The woman was dead when deputies arrived, but she was alive when her 7-year-old daughter was on the phone with 911.

Shatto and Dickson broke up six months ago.

Neighbor Stella Jackson said he has stalked Shatto in the time since.

"And he couldn't stand that she had tried to move on and he couldn't stand it," Jackson said.

Jackson babysat the little girl and said Shatto was one of her best friends.

The little girl went to Jackson's door, while she talked to 911.

"I went in there and there they lay, and I knew they were dead, but I didn't say nothing, because I didn't want to alarm the little girl," Jackson said. "And I come out and I grabbed her and took her to my house because she'd already seen enough."

On the 911 call, the little girl remained remarkably calm as her mother lay dying in front of her.

"The little girl was a very strong little girl," Deputy Poole said. "In our eyes, she's a hero. She held it together for us."

The little girl, who is going into the 3rd grade now, is in the care of her father, who lives in Bixby.

She was not physically hurt in the shooting.

logo

Get The Daily Update!

Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox!

More Like This

July 27th, 2012

March 14th, 2024

February 9th, 2024

November 30th, 2023

Top Headlines

March 18th, 2024

March 18th, 2024

March 18th, 2024

March 18th, 2024