Lawton man, 61, faces trial in January shooting death

A 61-year-old man was bound over for trial for the Jan. 21 shooting death of one of his housemates.

At the end of a preliminary hearing on Thursday, Comanche County Special District Judge Susan Zwaan found enough probable cause for Wesley Blake Moore, of Lawton, to go to trial for an amended felony charge of manslaughter — heat of passion, records indicate. He’d originally faced a felony charge of first-degree murder — deliberate intent.

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 Corliss Howell, 64, was shot inside the house, the probable cause affidavit. Howell was found inside the home dead from a gunshot wound and Moore was detained by police.

The woman, 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. to find Moore alone and intoxicated, according to the affidavit. 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.

The woman said Moore got up from the table and left the room briefly before returning with a pistol and pointed it at Howell’s face. As Howell stood up from his chair, she said, Moore fired the gun at Howell “right in the mouth,” according to the affidavit.

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

Held on $1 million bond, Moore returns to court at 9 a.m. July 24 before Presiding District Judge Emmit Tayloe for his formal arraignment, records indicate.