'Mentally Ill' Man Who Killed Mother, Kidnapped Son From Sand Springs Jailed In Texas

Family members in two states are trying to come to grips with the Sand Springs murder of a 62-year-old widow and are in the process of retrieving her 6-year grandson who was kidnapped Tuesday night.

Robert Connor III is in Texas in the Denton County Jail on a warrant for first-degree murder and kidnapping.

He has not waived his extradition yet, so investigators aren't sure when they can bring him back to Osage County to face the charges.

Connor has a history of mental illness and stopped taking his medications about three months ago, according to family members.

They say his mother, Debi, tried over and over to get him help and eventually had to take over guardianship of his two sons. Police said Connor shot his mother to death and his own 10-year-old son witnessed the whole thing.

Connor kidnapped his youngest son and fled to Texas, where he was found by authorities early this morning.

8/21/2013 Related Story: Texas Authorities: Sand Springs Boy Safe, Father In Custody After Amber Alert

Those who knew Debi Connor describe her as kind and loving.

She and her late husband lived in Texas for decades, then after being laid off from work, eventually moved to Oklahoma. Debi lived in a travel trailer next to a friend's home in rural Sand Springs.

Deputies said her son, Robert Connor II came over Tuesday about 8 p.m. and shot and killed her and kidnapped his 6-year-old son Declan.

They say his eldest son Jonathan, 10, ran next door for help.

This neighbor didn't hear a gunshot but heard screaming.

"It's just scary that it happened real close like this," Don Fielden said.

Family said Connor texted his aunt and investigators used cell phone technology to track him to a hotel in Lewisville, Texas.

Hotel guests were pretty shocked to see officers with guns swarming the area at 7:30 a.m.

"It's a little bit scary at first," hotel guest Ron said. "I wondered what was going on. I did walk down the steps and thought it was an exercise or something. When I saw the guys with rifles running down the hall, it scared me."

Officers placed a speaker by Connor's room door, ordered him out and he surrendered. Little Declan was inside the room, physically safe, still dressed only his underwear, just like when he was taken.

"I'm really pleased he's safe, the boy's safe and we're safe," Lewisville Police Capt. Jay Powell said.

Connor worked as a Glenpool Spanish teacher under a temporary contract from fall 2012 to May 2013.

One neighbor tells us Connor had been acting erratically and he was afraid something bad was going to happen.

Friends tell us Debi tried repeatedly to get her son help and even to get him committed.

Debi took her kids and eight grandkids to Disneyland recently.

We're told her daughter is now trying to get guardianship of the two boys and hopes to have Declan by Thursday.