Two Men Are Dead, Woman Wounded In Mayes County Shooting

Mayes County Sheriff's deputies are investigating what they are calling an apparent murder-suicide at the Full Moon Saloon in Disney early Tuesday morning.

Two men died when a man shot his friend then turned the gun on himself.

Mayes County investigators say the shooter also shot his wife, but she is expected to survive.

Investigators say 46-year-old Preston "Skip" Chandler walked into the The Full Moon Saloon, the bar he owns with his wife, Melanie, shot her and a close friend, Jim Grapevine, before killing himself.

The couple only recently opened the bar. It's so new, in fact, that they're still waiting on their liquor license.

Mayes County investigators said Preston Chandler walked inside the bar with a .410 gauge shotgun and began making threats before opening fire on his wife and friend.

"From what we got from her, what little bit we were able to get from her before they flew her out, is that he shot her, went outside, shot Mr. Grapevine just out the front door, and then came back in and shot himself," said Lieutenant Alan Davis of the Mayes County Sheriff's Office.

Both Preston Chandler and Grapevine were pronounced dead at the scene.

Melanie Chandler was flown to a Tulsa hospital for surgery. Investigators said she made it through surgery and is expected to be fine.

Two nearby business owners said that Grapevine and Preston Chandler were good friends and two guys who would do anything to help anybody. They called the whole situation a shame.

Those business owners also said that Preston Chandler was not known to have a bad temper, and they couldn't hazard a guess as to why he shot his wife and killed a friend.

Violence like this is very rare in Disney.

The Police Chief said there's never been a homicide in town limits in his nine years there.

Town residents say this is a sad episode in the town's history, but they're thankful that Melanie Chandler is expected to survive.

Investigators have been waiting for Melanie Chandler to get out of surgery.

The victims were the only people in the bar, so until they can talk in detail with her they won't have a clear idea of her husband's motivation.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is assisting sheriff's deputies and police with the investigation.