CALERA, Okla. (KXII) - The names of those dead after a double murder suicide in Calera last Friday have been released, and the victim’s family is asking for help in sharing their story.
While the FBI continues to investigate what happened on Choctaw Road last week, the victim’s family shares a cautionary message for other domestic violence victims.
Calera police found 31-year-old Tiffani Hill and 42-year-old John Donato dead in their home along with their one-year-old daughter Leanne seriously injured from a gunshot wound. She later died.
Hill’s family reached out to Durant attorney, Theresa McGehee, who used to represent the family to share their story.
“Tiffani never reached out to me about anything of that nature but I did speak with her mom. And her mom wants the message that Tiffani was trying to get away from it,” said McGehee.
In November 2020, Hill won over $2 million from a California lottery ticket. A few months later she married Donato, and the family moved to Calera.
“Could that have sparked that argument? We’ll never have any way of knowing. But I do know there were times it caused conflict between them,” said McGehee.
Any money left by the couple will be put into a trust fund for the surviving children. The 3 other children in the home at the time are safe and in state custody for now.
Hill’s family said domestic violence is to blame. Hill told them her plans to escape.
“Statistically that is the most dangerous time for anyone involved in domestic violence is around that time of separation,” said McGehee.
McGehee said Hill did the right thing by talking to her family, but things may have been different if local professionals got involved.
“The sadness is there are resources that people don’t reach out for. Bryan County has a great crisis control center. I know Grayson County has a great center,” said McGehee.
All her family can do now is share her story. They’re asking for any help from the community for burial and future custody expenses.
“She hopes somebody’s listening and will think this could be me next, this could be me and my child,” said McGehee.
The Medical Examiner’s office reports the cause of death as gunshot wounds to the head.
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