Crime
Star Spencer High School Student Sebastian Guyton Killed in Shooting
SPENCER, OKLAHOMA — Authorities have confirmed that a 17-year-old student was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon following a violent altercation near Star Spencer High School in Spencer, Oklahoma.
According to the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded shortly after an altercation broke out among a group of juveniles near the intersection of Northeast 34th Street and Spencer Road.
During the confrontation, one of the individuals reportedly produced a firearm and opened fire, striking a male teenager.
Emergency personnel transported the victim to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The victim was later identified by Oklahoma City Public Schools officials as 17-year-old Sebastian Guyton, a student at Star Spencer High School.
Following the shooting, law enforcement initiated a search of the area. One suspect was taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit, though authorities have not yet released additional details regarding the individual’s identity or potential charges.
As a precaution, several nearby schools were placed on temporary lockdown while officers secured the area.
Classes at Star Spencer High School have been canceled for the remainder of the week in light of the tragedy.
In a statement released Wednesday, Star Spencer High School officials expressed deep sorrow over the loss of their student:
“Please help keep our Bobcat family and friends in your thoughts during this very difficult time,” the statement read.
The Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the circumstances leading up to the shooting.
Additional updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
Crime
Christopher Scholtes pleaded guilty in hot car death of two-year-old Parker Scholtes in Marana
MARANA, ARIZONA — A Tucson-area father accused of leaving his two-year-old daughter to die in a sweltering vehicle while he drank alcohol and watched pornography has accepted a plea deal to avoid a first-degree murder trial.
Christopher Scholtes, 37, pleaded guilty Wednesday morning in Pima County Superior Court to second-degree murder with a domestic violence enhancement and child abuse.
Under the terms of the agreement, Scholtes will serve a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of 30 years in state prison.
He will remain out of custody for two additional weeks before beginning his sentence later this month.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office said the plea provides “justice for Parker and closure for the community.”
“We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of our prosecutors, victim advocates, and staff for their collaboration with local law enforcement on this complicated and high-profile case,” the office said in a statement. “This is yet another reminder that we will do everything possible to seek justice for victims, particularly those who are most vulnerable.”
The case stems from the death of two-year-old Parker Scholtes in Marana, Arizona, in July of last year.
According to investigators, Scholtes arrived home with Parker asleep in her car seat and decided not to wake her.
Instead, he went inside to play video games, drink beer, and watch pornography, leaving the toddler unattended in the vehicle during extreme summer heat.
Scholtes initially told police that he had left the vehicle running with the air conditioning on but lost track of time.
Investigators later determined the vehicle’s engine had shut off, and Parker remained trapped in temperatures that reached up to 190 degrees Fahrenheit inside the car.
Evidence showed she was left alone for approximately three hours, not one hour as Scholtes first claimed.
When Scholtes’ wife, Dr. Erika Scholtes, returned home from her hospital shift, she discovered Parker unresponsive inside the family’s Acura SUV.
Despite her efforts to perform CPR and the response of firefighters, Parker was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Authorities also learned through interviews that Scholtes had a history of leaving his three children unattended in vehicles for extended periods.
Throughout the legal proceedings, Erika Scholtes—an anesthesiologist—remained supportive of her husband, calling the child’s death a “tragic mistake.”
Despite the seriousness of the charges, Scholtes was released on bail shortly after his arrest.
In April, defense attorneys successfully petitioned to modify his bail conditions, allowing Scholtes to travel to Maui, Hawaii, for a family vacation from May 1 to May 9 with his wife and two surviving daughters.
The request was approved by Judge Kimberly Ortiz, despite objections from prosecutors.
Scholtes’ formal sentencing hearing is scheduled later this month, at which time he will return to custody to begin serving his prison term.