Magistrate says there's enough evidence to support charges against father

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A federal magistrate rules there's enough evidence to support murder charges against a man accused of killing his three young children.<br/><br/>Judge Gary Purcell's ruling

Thursday, September 1st 2005, 5:36 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A federal magistrate rules there's enough evidence to support murder charges against a man accused of killing his three young children.

Judge Gary Purcell's ruling came after an hour-long hearing Wednesday for 47-year-old Dean Robert Payne.

Payne is accused of shooting his children in the head twice before setting his Fort Cobb home on fire with them inside.

FBI agent Charles DeLaughter testified that Payne confessed to shooting the children after he was served with an emergency protective order his wife had obtained against him.

DeLaughter says Payne retrieved his guns from the car after he decided to kill the children and himself, then shot 9-year-old Cirea, 7-year-old Keelie and 5-year-old Tye with a 22 caliber pistol as they slept. The FBI agent says Payne told him he then tried to shoot himself in the head but missed.

He says Payne told him he watched the house burn from a nearby field.