The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

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February 7, 2009

Police: Lovely went into local drug store unarmed

By Tippi Rasp Staff Writer

Shortly after murdering his wife, an unarmed man walked into a local drug store, asked the clerk to look at a shotgun, then loaded the weapon with shells from a store display and shot himself in the head, police said.

Donald Gene Lovely, 38, died at a local hospital.

Police believe Lovely stabbed Sherry Susan Lovely, 35, a short time earlier in her home in the 5200 block of North Washington. Lovely’s 17-year-old daughter was home at the time of the slaying, but in another room, Enid Police Department Capt. Dean Grassino said. Sherry Lovely died at the scene.

Grassino said investigators from each scene still were processing information on Saturday. The two teams hadn’t had an opportunity to share their findings or to review together the 911 calls. He said police would issue a statement Monday with more details.

Police were called at about 2:41 p.m. Friday to the Lovely home on North Washington. Less than 20 minutes later, police were called to Evans Drug Center, about four miles from the home.

Online court records show Lovely had filed a protective order against her husband in December, but dismissed it three weeks ago.

She also had filed for divorce from her husband of four years Dec. 3, 2008, citing incompatibility. She asked the court for custody of the couple’s son and supervised visitation with his father. A protection order filed in district court Dec. 4 lists three children in Lovely’s custody, ages 4, 8 and 17.

The protective order, which was dismissed Jan. 15, according to court records, stipulates Donald Gene Lovely was to have no contact with Sherry Lovely, “either in person or by telephone, at any time or place.”

In a court document filed by his attorney, John Hodg-den, Donald Lovely disputed the custody and visitation requests by Sherry Lovely and asked the court to award him custody and to allow standard visitation to their mother.

Sherry Lovely’s attorney, Justin Lamunyon, asked the court to collect a hair follicle to be tested for drugs, according to court documents. Donald Lovely was convicted of marijuana possession in 1991. Shery Lovely also requested receipts and documentation from H&H; Gun Range in Oklahoma City and from Bill’s Outdoor Sports in Enid for any items — including firearms — purchased at the stores.

This is the first murder in Enid this year. Lt. Eric Holtzclaw said domestic violence accounts for 20 murders in Oklahoma each year. He said the case involving two Enid women murdered last year was classified as domestic violence.

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