An Oklahoma man, under the influence of alcohol, fatally shot his wife in his Ford F-350 truck following a heated argument triggered by a phone call she received from another man. The man, identified as 32-year-old Kyle Shackelford, then drove his wife’s lifeless body to a Walmart store to meet with paramedics, according to police reports.
Shackelford has been charged with manslaughter for the death of his 25-year-old wife, Rylee Shackelford, on May 26, as per court documents. The incident unfolded on a Monday night, with the police meeting the couple at a Walmart store in Garvin County, located at 2008 West Grant Avenue in Pauls Valley.
The police report suggests that Shackelford was incensed after answering his wife’s phone call, only to find her ex-boyfriend, now a friend, on the other end. The ex-boyfriend reported receiving two missed calls from Rylee that night. When he returned the video call, Kyle answered, asking who he was. The ex-boyfriend claimed he heard Rylee in the background asking for her phone back. After the call disconnected, he tried to call back several times but received no answer. He later received a Snapchat text from Rylee that read, ‘Please stop before I get my a— beat, I’m begging you.’ He responded to the text but never heard from Rylee again.
Police encountered Kyle Shackelford and his father-in-law in the F-350 at the Pauls Valley Walmart just before 3 a.m. They found Rylee Shackelford unconscious in the passenger seat, pale, not breathing, and turning blue. The couple had been at a local casino earlier in the night where Kyle Shackelford had been drinking heavily.
Surveillance footage allegedly shows Shackelford ordering whiskey and a mixed rum drink on two separate occasions. He was also allegedly seen purchasing “BuzzBallz Chillers” at a local store before the fatal incident. The couple had just returned home from the casino when the argument began. The dispute first erupted in the house, then moved to the truck.
According to the police report, Kyle Shackelford claimed that he moved a pistol from the console in the truck, which accidentally fired, striking Rylee in the left side. During his interaction with the police at the Walmart and in his subsequent interview, Shackelford exhibited signs of intoxication, including red, watery eyes and slurred speech.
Shackelford admitted to the police that the shooting occurred while he and Rylee were arguing. He said that he was frustrated and went outside to his truck. Rylee got into the passenger seat as Kyle was getting into the driver’s side. He claimed that Rylee was angry and hitting the console where he had placed a pistol.
Shackelford alleged that as he tried to move the pistol away from the console, it discharged, shooting Rylee in the left abdomen. He then went inside to get Rylee’s father to drive them to the hospital. While on the phone with 911, Shackelford agreed to meet an ambulance at Walmart. When the police found the gun, it had one empty cartridge still chambered and three live cartridges loaded in the magazine.
The Oklahoma State Medical Examiner’s Report states that the bullet entered Rylee’s left chest, fractured a rib, perforated the heart, and was recovered in the right chest wall. The report also noted that there was no bullet damage on the left arm, suggesting that her arm may have been pulled back or raised in a defensive manner.
Shackelford was booked into the Garvin County Jail on Aug. 26 and was released after posting a $100,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 12.