Lawton homicide victim identified, estranged wife held for solicitation of murder

Lawton police have identified the man found shot and killed Monday morning in Elmer Thomas Park and investigators believe his estranged wife hired someone to kill him.

Officers responded to a report of gunfire in the park, 301 NW Ferris, early Monday morning and found John Velas dead near the walking track around the children’s playground. He had been shot four times.

Velas had reported threats on his life to Lawton police on Aug. 16. According to police, he reported a man came to his house warning him his estranged wife, Susen Hunter, had hired him to kill Velas. He also had video from the conversation that was turned over to investigators. He told police she’d hired people to kill him three times before that.

Court records indicate Velas received a 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 dismissed in May 2022.

Hunter filed for divorce from Velas in November 2020, however, it was not finalized.

Hunter remains in custody of the Lawton City Jail under the booking charge of solicitation for first-degree murder, jail logs indicate. She was taken into custody Monday afternoon.

Investigators continue to seek who pulled the trigger.

Hunter is expected to make her initial court appearance Thursday for the allegations regarding the claims of prior attempt to hire a hit man to kill Velas.

Velas is the 11th death by homicide this year, to Constitution records.

If you have information about the crime, call the Lawton Police Department at 581-3272 or contact Crime Stoppers of Southwest Oklahoma at (580) 355-4636 (INFO).

As always, you can submit your tip anonymously.