Investigation continues in Del City laundry killings

DEL CITY — Police said a coin laundry employee and a customer who tried to help were gunned down during a Monday morning robbery.

The shooting deaths happened at the Laundry Station, 4000 SE 15 in Del City, just as it opened for business, Police Maj. Jody Suit said.

A customer found both victims inside the building about 6:30 a.m., Suit said. The names of the victims were not released, and no arrests were reported.

“The female worked as manager, and the man tried to come to her rescue, and the attacker ended up killing them both,” Suit said.

“She had just opened for business we believe a short time before the suspect hit.”

A man who sped up to the scene early Monday made his way past the crime scene tape and tried to

run inside before being restrained by police. He said he was the son of the woman found dead inside.

“Nobody wants to give an interview after their mother has been shot dead,” said the man, who did not give his name. Police warned him to stay outside the crime tape while officers worked to investigate what happened.

Several other people screamed and cried while gathered outside the business.

On Monday afternoon, customers continued to stop by the laundry, looking through the windows. Fingerprint dust clearly marking the outlines of handprints coated a door and a countertop inside.

Two women peering through one of the large windows said they had been going to the laundry for years and knew the employee who was killed.

“She was one of the sweetest people that you’d ever meet,” said one of the women, who declined to give her name.

The woman said even though authorities have not released the names of the victims, she had no doubt she knew the employee who was killed.

“I know she opens, so I knew in my mind it was her,” she said. “My heart sunk, because I knew what it was.”

Daniel Kepford, who runs a video game store next door, said the employee had been there for years and was a kind woman with several children.

“She worked hard, nice lady,” Kepford said. “She used to give an employee (here) a ride home every day.”

Anyone with information about the crime can call Del City police at 6772443.

A woman collapses in grief Monday in front of the Laundry Station, the scene of a double killing in Del City. She believed one of the victims was her mother. Police have not released the identities of the victims. [PHOTO BY JIM BECKEL, THE OKLAHOMAN]

[PHOTO BY JIM BECKEL, THE OKLAHOMAN] A man ran screaming through police tape at Laundry Station, 4000 SE 15, before being restrained by officers. He said he was the son of the woman inside.