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An Oklahoma City woman who was stabbed Sunday in the parking lot of a Shawnee apartment complex died from her injuries Monday morning, making her death the city’s first homicide of 2012. Police have arrested a suspect in the case.
The victim has been identified as Gina Raechel Swain, 29.
The suspect, Heather Nicole Checotah, 29, of Shawnee, is jailed without bond in the Pottawatomie County Public Safety Center on a complaint of first-degree murder. Formal charges have not been filed.
The investigation first began when Shawnee police were called to Chapel Ridge Apartments, 130 E. 45th, about 12:23 p.m. Sunday to a reported stabbing.
Officers arrived outside the area of Building 20 to find Swain sitting in a chair, with several persons reporting she had been stabbed. A witness at the scene called 911 and helped Swain sit down, where she asked for some water before becoming unresponsive, a police report shows.
Lt. Tom Pringle’s narrative shows Swain was barely breathing and had very little blood on her shirt as firefighters and paramedics found a stab wound on the left side of her chest.
According to witness statements in the report, Swain was outside of a vehicle with another woman when Checotah came up and stabbed Swain, then allegedly chased Swain about 50 feet before fleeing the scene.
Detective Charles Swantek said Checotah, who was later found at a home on Ninth Street, was picked up and taken to police headquarters for questioning in the case. As a result of that interview, she was arrested Sunday and taken to jail on an initial complaint of assault and battery with a deadly weapon.
Swain was taken by REACT ambulance to Unity Health Center, where she was stabilized and then transferred by Medi Flight helicopter ambulance to OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City for treatment.
Swantek said Swain was pronounced dead from her injuries at 10:47 a.m. Monday.
After learning Monday Swain had died, detectives modified the complaint Checotah was jailed for to reflect a first-degree murder complaint rather than assault and battery. She is currently jailed without bail as the investigation continues.
Swantek, who said police have recovered evidence including the knife, said they are investigating the case as being domestic-related and involving arguments over property inside an apartment.
Once detectives complete their probe, the case will be turned over to the district attorney’s office for consideration of any formal charges being filed.
Watch for updates.
An Oklahoma City woman who was stabbed Sunday in the parking lot of a Shawnee apartment complex died from her injuries Monday morning, making her death the city’s first homicide of 2012. Police have arrested a suspect in the case.
The victim has been identified as Gina Raechel Swain, 29.
The suspect, Heather Nicole Checotah, 29, of Shawnee, is jailed without bond in the Pottawatomie County Public Safety Center on a complaint of first-degree murder. Formal charges have not been filed.
The investigation first began when Shawnee police were called to Chapel Ridge Apartments, 130 E. 45th, about 12:23 p.m. Sunday to a reported stabbing.
Officers arrived outside the area of Building 20 to find Swain sitting in a chair, with several persons reporting she had been stabbed. A witness at the scene called 911 and helped Swain sit down, where she asked for some water before becoming unresponsive, a police report shows.
Lt. Tom Pringle’s narrative shows Swain was barely breathing and had very little blood on her shirt as firefighters and paramedics found a stab wound on the left side of her chest.
According to witness statements in the report, Swain was outside of a vehicle with another woman when Checotah came up and stabbed Swain, then allegedly chased Swain about 50 feet before fleeing the scene.
Detective Charles Swantek said Checotah, who was later found at a home on Ninth Street, was picked up and taken to police headquarters for questioning in the case. As a result of that interview, she was arrested Sunday and taken to jail on an initial complaint of assault and battery with a deadly weapon.
Swain was taken by REACT ambulance to Unity Health Center, where she was stabilized and then transferred by Medi Flight helicopter ambulance to OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City for treatment.
Swantek said Swain was pronounced dead from her injuries at 10:47 a.m. Monday.
After learning Monday Swain had died, detectives modified the complaint Checotah was jailed for to reflect a first-degree murder complaint rather than assault and battery. She is currently jailed without bail as the investigation continues.
Swantek, who said police have recovered evidence including the knife, said they are investigating the case as being domestic-related and involving arguments over property inside an apartment.
Once detectives complete their probe, the case will be turned over to the district attorney’s office for consideration of any formal charges being filed.
Watch for updates.
