Late last month, a Vinita teenager walked into the local police station and announced that he had shot and killed his stepmother. When the teen confessedthe murder to a police dispatcher, another police officer began to walk toward him. Reports say the 14-year-old stood up and told the officer, "I needa hug."
When police responded to the boy's home, they found that Laura Beth Hendrix, 38, was dead of a gunshot wound to the chest. Hendrix is identified as theboy's father's fiancee.
Initially, there was much speculation as to motive, but now, police have said the boy gave his motive when he confessed to killing the woman. The teensaid he was "tired of the abuse" and indicated that his future stepmother had been sexually abusing him.
The teen told police that, on the morning of her death, the woman had walked out of a bathroom and down a hall toward him. Fearing that she was going tosexually assault him again, the teen got a gun and fired once, striking her in the chest. He reportedly told police that he could hear her wheezingafter he fired, but he did not call 9-1-1.
Neither DHS nor police have answered reporters questions about whether or not Hendrix or anyone in the home was under investigation for alleged sex abuse.
Following his confession, the teen allegedly said to police that fear the the woman was about to touch him inappropriately "isn't a very good reason, is it?"The teen also admitted that he had been in counseling for anger management issues.
Since his confession, Koalten Glenn Orr has been charged with first degree murder in Craig County. Under Oklahoma law, juveniles aged 13, 14, 15, 16, or17 are charged as adults if charged with first degree murder. However, minors aged 13 or 14 have the opportunity to be certified as youthful offendersrather than adults.
Given Orr's professed motive for the killing, it would seem likely that his attorney would attempt to have him certified as a youthful offender insteadof an adult if there appears to be any evidence to support his claims of sexual abuse. However, if the only motive seems to be an inability to controlhis "anger issues," then a judge will likely allow the adult certification to remain.
Currently, the teen is ordered to be held separately from the adult jail population. His case is set for the preliminary hearing sounding docket at theend of the month.
Learn more about Oklahoma's murder laws here.
