American woman of Oklahoma accused of murder for hire after husband found dead in Lawton park

Susen Hunter was charged Sept. 7 with solicitation for murder in Comanche County District Court

By Edward Era Barbacena 

After her estranged husband was found shot dead in a park, a woman is accused of hiring someone to kill him.

Susen Hunter was charged Sept. 7 with solicitation for murder in Comanche County District Court, according to a court docket. Her husband, John Velas, was found dead in Elmer Thomas Park on Labor Day, said Lawton police spokesperson Christopher Blessing.

Police were called to the park after reports of shots heard in the area around 6:30 in the morning.

Just days before, Velas had told police he believed his wife wanted to have him killed.

"A gentleman did approach him that was working on the properties that him and his wife owned, saying, 'Hey, your wife is trying to pay me to have you killed,'" Blessing said.

Hunter and Velas owned properties together and were going through a divorce. It had been "drawn out," Blessing said, possibly because they couldn't come to an agreement about their property. Blessing told The Oklahoman that police presented Velas' concerns to the district attorney's office, which declined to press charges at that time.

Hunter was arrested the same day Velas was found dead, based on a witness who told police Hunter had offered him compensation if he would kill Velas.

Police are still investigating the slaying of Velas.