Verdigris Man Arrested In Shooting Death Of Wife

Verdigris Police arrested a man in the suspicious death of his wife. William Roland Leathers is in the Rogers County Jail, booked on a complaint of first-degree murder.

Leathers was taken into custody over the weekend after his wife, Susan, was shot inside the couple's home in the 9500 block of Mulberry Lane.

The couple's 2-year-old child was present in the house, according to authorities.

According to the OSBI, when investigators arrived at the home William Leathers had blood all over his face, hands and clothing. They found his wife, who had been shot in the cheek, in the bedroom.

Leathers was taken into custody on a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Agents with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation were called in to further investigate the death.

Authorities say the 29-year-old Leathers admitted having a gun for protection and that he had shown it to his wife earlier in the evening. He told authorities he was expecting company that made him feel threatened.

Leathers reportedly told investigators he was drunk and playing around with the gun after the two men left. He says he pulled the trigger and Susan fell to the ground.

Leathers has past convictions for encouraging dog fighting, cruelty to animals and driving under the influence of alcohol. 

He was arrested by Claremore Police in February, 2015, for driving under the influence and driving with a suspended sentence.