One dead, two injured in weekend shootings across state

(AP)- A man was killed and two women were critically wounded in two separate shooting incidents over the weekend in Oklahoma. <br><br>Jackie Balthrop, 24, of Tupelo was killed and his girlfriend, Mandy

Tuesday, January 2nd 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(AP)- A man was killed and two women were critically wounded in two separate shooting incidents over the weekend in Oklahoma.

Jackie Balthrop, 24, of Tupelo was killed and his girlfriend, Mandy Gragg, 19, of Keota, was critically wounded after being shot multiple times in the head and face by a man riding in a car with them on a rural road east of Tahlequah, said Kym Koch of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

Kenneth Gulley, 23, was being held in Tahlequah's city jail Monday on complaints of first-degree murder and attempted murder, Koch said.

Gragg was in critical condition at a Tulsa hospital.

Koch said the shootings happened about 12:15 a.m. Sunday in a car that Gragg's father had reported stolen.

Koch said the car was near Welling in Cherokee County when Gulley allegedly pulled out a gun and shot Balthrop as he drove.

Balthrop stopped the car, and Gragg got out of the vehicle before also being shot by Gulley, Koch said.

Koch said Gulley allegedly put Balthrop's body in the trunk and put Gragg in the car with him, then drove back to a relative's house in Tahlequah.

The relative called police, and Gulley was arrested a short time later, Koch said.

Cherokee County Sheriff Delena Goss said a .30-caliber rifle and a .22-caliber pistol were recovered near Bathrop's body, which was found riddled with bullets in the trunk of the stolen vehicle.

Meanwhile, an Adair County woman was in critical condition at a Fayetteville, Ark., hospital after she was allegedly shot 15 times Saturday by a man who was free on bond in a year-old murder case, authorities said.

Donna Clinton was discovered by a hunter in the woods just after dark Saturday southwest of Westville off U.S. 62, Adair County Sheriff Charles Hartshorne said.

The hunter took her to the Westville police station for help.

Bronson Lowe, 25, was being held in the Adair County jail on a complaint of shooting with intent to kill, authorities said.

Officials said they have recovered a weapon and other evidence.

Lowe still faces a first-degree murder charge for the Christmas 1999 slaying of Monty Rowland of Stilwell, who bled to death from a gunshot wound to the leg.

Lowe's preliminary hearing in that case has been delayed because one of the county judges has been working in another county, officials said.

Since Lowe has been out on bail, he was the target of another shooting outside Westville in June when two men leaned out the windows of their vehicle and opened fire on him while driving on U.S. 59, officials said.