Murder-for-hire case continued in Lawton

It’s been about 10 months since John Velas, 61, was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds near the walking track of Elmer Thomas Park the morning of Sept. 4, 2023.

Since then, no charges have been filed directly in the killing.

However, Velas’ estranged wife, Susen Adell Hunter, 58, of Lawton, was charged in Comanche County District Court with a felony count of soliciting for first-degree murder, a crime punishable by between five years to life in prison.

A preliminary hearing scheduled for May 14 was postponed until July 1. But that hearing has been reset for 3 p.m. Sept. 12 before Special District Judge Susan Zwaan.

“The case was continued at the State’s request in trying to locate witnesses,” said Comanche County District Attorney Kyle Cabelka.

Velas’s sister, Pauletta Bujcs had hoped the case would move forward.

Bujcs, who lives in Pennsylvania, said she was glad she decided against traveling to Oklahoma for the preliminary hearing and has prepared herself to be in Lawton when and if the case goes to trial.

Before his death, Velas had spoken with Lawton police on Aug. 31, 2023, claiming Hunter had tried to pay someone to kill him, according to the probable cause affidavit. He said he’d been approached earlier in the month by a man who told him she’d tried to hire him to do the job. He provided video of the conversation with the man to police.

Police spoke with the man, whose story led to the charge against Hunter. He said she offered to pay off his truck, provide a house and give him $10,000 to kill Velas. He said he declined but 11 days later, she again asked him to kill Velas. He said he again declined and she responded by asking if any of his friends on drugs would kill her husband.

Hunter was questioned following Velas’ death. She admitted to owning two Glock 9mm handguns, the same caliber gun used in the killing, the affidavit states. However, police only found one gun and an empty case. Hunter told investigators she didn’t know what happened to the gun.

The morning of Velas’ death, as light was breaking in Elmer Thomas Park, a witness saw two figures tussling before hearing a man say, “Why are you doing this to me?” According to police, the witness heard gunshots and dropped to the ground before fleeing to his vehicle.

Several people who originally offered testimony to police have gone missing or, in the case of one person suspected of committing the murder, have died, Bujcs said. The partner of the man who hanged himself told Bujcs that he died after saying Hunter or some of her associates had been following him.

“She told me somebody killed him,” she said. “Detective (Donald) Pauley said it looked to have been a suicide.”

“My thought is he just couldn’t take it anymore,” she continued. “It probably pushed him over the edge.”

Bujcs said her brother walked daily and that Hunter knew his schedule. Velas, who lived across the street from Hunter, kept a log of when she came and went just in case something happened to him, Bujcs said.

Hunter filed for divorce from Velas on Nov. 19, 2020. However, a contentious battle over co-owned property led to a drawn out and contentious divorce that was never settled.

Court records indicate that Velas obtained an emergency protective order against Hunter that was in effect from November 2020 to April 2021. In turn, Hunter received a protective order against Velas in June 2021 that remained in place until being dismissed in May 2022. At that hearing, Velas alleged Hunter had tried to hire at least two other people to kill him.

Bujcs said the distance from her home to Lawton has caused frustration.

“I’m not there to go in and pester them (police) every day,” she said. “I’m trying to live my life and I can’t. It’s just not fair.”

Bujcs said she’s still not dealing with Velas’ death well.

“He’s always on my mind,” she said. “It’s hard.”

This Sunday, Bujcs and her husband, Richard, are leaving for an annual trip to Virginia. It’s a trip her brother usually joined them on. This year, she’s making the trip with a hole in her heart, but the spirit of hope keeps her going.

“Every time they put it off, it just drops me deeper and deeper into the depression,” she said. “I’m a strong girl, I’ll make it.”