Estranged wife accused of trying to hire hit man to kill husband

The estranged wife of the man murdered Monday in Elmer Thomas Park was charged with attempting to hire someone to do the job.

Susen Adell Hunter, 57, of Lawton, made her initial appearance Thursday morning in Comanche County District Court where she was charged with a felony count of soliciting for first-degree murder, records indicate. The crime is punishable by between five years to life in prison.

When John Velas was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds near the walking track of Elmer Thomas Park Monday morning, police recognized him.

Lawton Police Detective Michael Boudreaux stated he’d interviewed Velas on Aug. 31 regarding a claim his estranged wife, Hunter, had tried to pay someone to kill him, the probable cause affidavit states. Velas said he’d been approached Aug. 15 by a man who told him Hunter tried to hire him to do the killing. Velas provided the detective with video footage of the conversation he’d had with the man.

Police caught up with the man Monday. He told detectives Hunter hired him to mow and landscape several of her properties between May and mid-July. He said she would make comments about Velas like, “I just wish he was gone and that this divorce was over with,” the affidavit states.

The man said Hunter approached him on July 4 and offered to pay off his truck, a house in the 300 block of Fort Sill Boulevard and $10,000 to kill Velas, Boudreaux stated. Velas lived directly across the street from Hunter in the 1800 block of Northwest Kingsbury Avenue. He said Hunter offered information about Velas’ daily schedule. Shocked by the request, the man said he declined the offer but continued to work for Hunter.

On July 15, he said, Hunter again asked if he would kill Velas for her the next day when Velas returned from vacation, according to the affidavit. He again declined the offer. Next, he said, Hunter asked, “Do you have any meth head friends or anyone like that that would kill John?” The man said he told her he was going to report her to the police.

Two days later, the man said, he was at home when a man he said was Hunter’s cousin knocked on his door and accused him of being a thief and pointed a handgun at his head before telling him to leave Hunter alone, the affidavit states. He said he didn’t call police out of fear, Boudreaux stated.

The man said he knew Hunter carries a black handgun because he’d seen it in her purse. During a police interview with Hunter on Monday, she admitted to owning two 9mm handguns, the same caliber as the gun used to kill Velas, according to the affidavit. That’s when, Boudreaux said, she was arrested.

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 being dismissed in May 2022. At that hearing, Velas alleged Hunter had tried to hire someone to kill him.

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

Hunter received a $50,000 bond. She is to return to court at 3 p.m. Jan. 2, 2024, for her preliminary hearing conference.

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

Lawton police continue to investigate Velas’ death.

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.