Stigler Murder-Suicide

The Haskell County community of Stigler has been left stunned and shaken after the murder-suicide of a well-known local couple. <br/><br/>The Haskell County Sheriffâ€™s Office say Rick Beal ambushed his

Friday, October 6th 2006, 11:27 am

By: News On 6

The Haskell County community of Stigler has been left stunned and shaken after the murder-suicide of a well-known local couple.

The Haskell County Sheriffâ€™s Office say Rick Beal ambushed his wife as she was leaving for work Friday morning, shooting and killing her and then turning the gun on himself.

News on 6 reporter Steve Berg was in Stigler Friday and says Dreama Beal had filed for divorce from her husband.

For the past few days, authorities say she had been staying at her daughter and son-in-law's house and that's where she was attacked. Chick Kelley says Dreama's son-in-law called him asking for help about 6 AM Friday.

Kelley says when he ran across the street, he saw the Rick and Dreama Beal dead in the garage. Police arrested Mr. Beal last week after he allegedly held Mrs. Beal against her will at their house. She told Stigler Police that he punched her in the stomach, tried to tear off her clothes, and threatened to kill her and himself, if she left him.

Dreama Beal filed a protective order against him. But according to the Haskell County assistant District Attorney, she also asked to have his bond reduced and he was released.

Authorities say it looks like he parked his vehicle early Friday morning, while his daughter, granddaughter, son-in-law, and estranged wife were sleeping and waited. Haskell County Sheriff Manual Ballard: "When she opened the garage door, he evidently was waiting on her, and he went in on her. And she was killed immediately, then he turned the gun on himself and shot himself."

Rick Beal was a successful businessman and Dreama worked as a nurse for 10 years, where they remember her constant smile and giggling laugh.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is assisting in the investigation.