Oklahoma man sentenced to 40 years - victim shot in the head for refusing to deny previous assault
MIAMI, Okla. — An Oklahoma man pleaded guilty to shooting his girlfriend multiple times after she refused to recant a previous domestic violence attack.
The judge sentenced Austin Wesley Tanner, 26, of Hominy, to 40 years in prison, with all but 15 years of that sentence suspended. The case stems from 2020 when Tanner was charged with shooting his then girlfriend and running from police.
Miami police responded to Tanner's mother's house where they found the victim lying in the middle of the road with multiple gunshot wounds.
Judy Tanner, the suspect’s mother, told police Tanner and the victim had been dating for about four months and had described their relationship as “very volatile,” according to court records.
Earlier the day of the shooting, police were called to the elder Tanner’s Miami residence because Tanner was arguing with the victim. After the police left, Tanner continued to berate his girlfriend, trying to get her to call the Creek County District Attorney to drop a domestic violence charge against him, according to an affidavit.
Online court records show Tanner was charged one month earlier in Creek County District Court with domestic violence for assaulting the same victim.
Judy Tanner told police she saw her son “pull a black handgun from his left pocket with his left hand and start shooting” the victim. The mother said she “heard multiple gunshots” but only saw the gunshot wound to the victim's head.
The judge also ordered Tanner not to have any contact with the victim upon his release from prison, with additional supervision for 25 years; which is the duration of his suspended sentence.