Cherokee County Sheriff
An Oklahoma man celebrated his birthday earlier this month by murdering two individuals, then adopted up the double murder by killing his live-in girlfriend just a few days later, in line with legislation enforcement officers.
Robert Lewis is dealing with three counts of first-degree homicide within the deaths of Quinley Lamb, 43, and Brian Shackelford, 42, each of Sharp County, Arkansas, and Deanna Tippey, 36, of Cherokee County, Oklahoma.
Lamb and Shackelford had been killed on Jan. 16, Lewis’ 61st birthday, Cherokee County Sheriff Jason Chennault mentioned at a press convention Thursday afternoon. Lamb died of a fractured cranium; Shackelford’s throat was slit, the sheriff introduced. Tippey, who was courting Lewis, was strangled to loss of life someday after Jan. 19, in line with Chennault.
Everybody concerned “had involvement in narcotics,” however Chennault mentioned investigators didn't know if medicine performed a motivating issue within the killings. Tippey had a minor felony historical past, with misdemeanor prices for public intoxication, possession of drug paraphernalia, and trespassing, in line with public data.
Police have had “some incidents” with Lewis however “we’ve by no means arrested him,” mentioned Chennault. “We’ve been to his property earlier than.”
Cops responded to the grim scene on Friday, after Chennault was contacted by Sheriff Mark Counts of Sharp County, which lies about 250 miles to the east. Counts informed Chennault that Lamb’s brother had known as to say he had traveled to Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the place he discovered Lamb’s stays buried in a shallow grave on a chunk of property.
Investigators recognized Lewis because the proprietor of the property, and took him into custody on the close by Cherokee Nation on line casino that night.
Underneath questioning, Lewis informed cops he had in truth killed three individuals in all, in line with Chennault. After acquiring a search warrant, investigators on Saturday morning discovered Shackelford and Tippey buried elsewhere on Lewis’ property.
Chennault mentioned Lewis “admitted to killing all three of them [but] wouldn’t inform us why.” Police haven't defined how Lamb’s brother knew the place to search for his sister’s physique.
Reached by telephone on Monday, Lamb’s father, Jimmie, informed The Each day Beast that authorities had launched his daughter’s title earlier than correctly notifying the household, a criticism echoed by Lamb’s son, Cameron.
“We haven’t been contacted by anybody in Oklahoma, so I’m not one hundred pc certain how that is out,” Cameron Lamb informed The Each day Beast. “We've not been notified on something. I don’t have any clue on what occurred, or the way it occurred.”
A neighbor of Lewis’ mentioned Lewis and Tippey met at a bar “a yr or two in the past,” after which she shortly moved in.
“He had a nasty meth downside and nearly everyone he frolicked with had a meth downside,” the neighbor, who requested to not be named, informed The Each day Beast.
Lewis’ home was dilapidated and rundown, in line with Chennault who described it as extra of a “construction” than a home.
“There’s been drug points there previously,” mentioned the neighbor, who alleged that Tippey “blew Robert’s home up like thrice and he by no means did something to her. I don’t know in the event that they had been cooking meth or what, however she actually blew his home up thrice.”
In March, Lewis posted a message to Fb a couple of fireplace at his residence that seems to line up with at the least one of many incidents.
“Somebody I’ve tryed [sic] to be form to has set fireplace to my world ones [sic] extra,” it learn. “Not in a great way. Made my naber [sic] insanely indignant. Who I imagine informed the responding Deputy to shot [sic] and kill my canine.”
However Lewis, though apparently troubled, has “by no means been imply, he’s by no means been hateful,” insisted the neighbor, who mentioned Lewis beforehand served within the Marine Corps and was not presently employed.
“This was even a shock to us that any of this occurred, he was a really good man,” she mentioned. “He unintentionally cracked my windshield driving down the highway someday and he got here again and glued it.”
The neighbor mentioned she final spoke to Tippey on Jan. 16, the day Lamb and Shackelford had been killed. They had been on the on line casino, and every part appeared regular, she mentioned. “After which swiftly, everyone’s lifeless. I used to be like, ‘What. The. Fuck. Occurred?’” the neighbor mentioned.
At Monday’s press convention, Cherokee County District Legal professional Jack Thorp mentioned his workplace extends “our deepest condolences to the households and our sufferer[s]... I’m certain it’s [a] horror to study in regards to the deaths of their family members. This case is a tragic case. And this investigation stays lively.”
If convicted, Lewis might face life in jail with out the potential for parole and even the loss of life penalty, in line with Thorp, who mentioned he and his staff can be assembly with the victims’ relations to debate all obtainable choices.
Lewis appeared earlier than a decide on Monday who ordered him held with out bond. He's scheduled to return to courtroom on March 1. Authorities emphasised that the suspect Robert Lewis just isn't the notable Cherokee storyteller Robert Lewis.
A spokeswoman for the Cherokee Nation on line casino referred The Each day Beast to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Workplace, which didn't reply to a request for remark. A spokesperson for District Legal professional Jack Thorp declined to remark past what was introduced at Monday’s press convention. It's unsure if Lewis has but retained a lawyer to talk on his behalf.
Within the meantime, members of the small rural neighborhood are left scratching their heads and hoping extra data will come to gentle about what occurred.
“It is simply mindblowing, ?” Lewis’ neighbor informed The Each day Beast.