By John Dobberstein, Editor
The Bixby Police Department has classified the July 6 incident involving the deaths of Sherry Gamble Smith and her husband Martin Everett Smith as a murder-suicide.
Evidence at the scene, as well as digital evidence and home security video show that Martin Everett Smith shot and killed Sherry Gamble Smith during a domestic argument at their Bixby home, police said in an update Monday.
Evidence and interviews confirm that the couple had been involved in an ongoing domestic problem that began several days before the incident.
Security video at the home and digital evidence showed Martin Everett Smith spending most of the night before the murder sitting alone in his garage at the couple’s home.
Shortly before the murder on the morning of the July 6, security video shows Smith removing a pistol from the garage, placing it in his waistband and entering the home.
Shortly thereafter, Smith placed a phone call to an out-of-state family member prior to killing Sherry Gamble Smith before turning the gun on himself. Martin Everett Smith later died at a Tulsa hospital.
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The case will be closed as a murder-suicide resulting from a domestic argument.
“Our hearts go out to all of the victims of domestic violence including those family members who are affected by domestic violence,” Bixby police said in a statement.
This incident was the first of what is likely to be two murder-suicides that have occurred in Bixby in the last month.
Last Friday, Jin Yu Wang, a local Bixby spa operator, was shot and killed by Rocchio Vincenzo in a parking lot near 13161 S. Memorial, said Bixby police spokesman Seth Adcock. Vincenzo then shot himself. Both were pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.
Victims are encouraged to reach out to the National Domestic Violence hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or the Oklahoma mental health crisis hotline by dialing “988” on their telephone.
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