61-year-old Lawton man accused of murder

A 61-year-old man is in jail on $1 million bond for the Jan. 21 shooting death of one of his housemates.

The other housemate told police the man grew angry they hadn’t brought him whiskey before shooting Corliss Howell, 64, to death.

Wesley Blake Moore, of Lawton, made his initial appearance Monday in Comanche County District Court where he received a felony charge of first-degree murder – deliberate intent, records indicate. The crime is punishable by life in prison, life without parole or death.

Lawton police were called to 1604 SW E around 8:20 p.m. Jan. 21 to a shooting call and found a woman who said Howell was shot inside the house, the probable cause affidavit. Police Captain John Mull commanded Moore to exit the house and he complied and was detained, Officer Levi Peck stated. Inside the home, Howell was found dead from a gunshot wound.

The woman, who was a housemate with the two men, told police she and Howell had been gone most of the day and came home around 3 p.m. and found Moore alone and intoxicated, the affidavit states. At one point, she said, they were all sitting around the kitchen table and Moore argued with her and Howell because they didn’t bring him any whiskey, Peck stated.

Moore got up from the table and left the room briefly before returning with a pistol and pointed it at Howell’s face, she said. As Howell stood up from his chair, she said, Moore fired the gun at Howell “right in the mouth,” according to the affidavit. She told Peck she ran quickly from the house to seek help from a neighbor and call 911.

Howell’s is the city’s third homicide death of 2024, according to Constitution records.

Moore returns to court at 3 p.m. April 2 for his preliminary hearing conference, records indicate.