Man charged in Christmas Eve killing

NORMAN — A 40-year-old man was charged with firstdegree murder in Cleveland County District Court on Wednesday, accused of killing his 61-year-old girlfriend on Christmas Eve after first telling police she died of an overdose.

About 2:35 p.m. on Dec. 24, Norman police responded to 716 Highland Parkway on a call of a “possible overdose.” Inside the home, authorities found the body of Sharon Judd inside a bathtub, with “obvious trauma to her face (and) head” and bruising on her arms and legs, according to a court affidavit.

Police also said there was blood in the bathtub and on floors, walls and furniture throughout the house.

Investigators interviewed Judd’s boyfriend, Jeremy Scott Bettes, who they said had blood on his clothing and a swollen hand.

Bettes said he and Judd had been in the home alone all night and that “nothing happened between them.”

He said he found Judd dead in the tub that morning and called a friend about the death that afternoon.

He said he thought Judd had died from an overdose and her injuries could have resulted from “falling or tripping on something.” He was released from custody on Christmas Day.

An autopsy showed Judd had suffered “severe, internal injuries, consistent with being physically abused and possibly strangled,” according to the affidavit.

Police questioned Bettes again on Monday, who again denied being involved in Judd’s death and that her injuries likely occurred from a fall while he slept.

Bettes was arrested on a murder complaint on Tuesday and charged in Judd’s death on Wednesday. He is being held without bail at the Cleveland County jail.