In the early morning hours of July 24, 2023, the life of 38-year-old Ashley Atwell was tragically cut short in a brutal act of violence at her Tulsa, Oklahoma, apartment. Atwell, a female, was shot and killed by her ex-boyfriend, 29-year-old Caleb Venson. The attack also claimed the lives of two other women present in the apartment: 20-year-old Annaway Mackey and 19-year-old Sarah Gonzales.
The events unfolded around 6:30 a.m.
at the Wood Creek Apartments when Venson forced his way into Atwell's residence by shooting through a sliding glass door. Inside, he opened fire, fatally wounding Atwell, who was holding her and Venson's one-year-old son at the time. The baby was also shot but thankfully survived his injuries. Venson then proceeded to kill Mackey and Gonzales. Another child, Atwell's 13-year-old son, was in the apartment but managed to escape through a window and call for help.
Following the horrific incident, Venson fled the scene. However, approximately an hour and a half later, he turned himself into the Tulsa County Police. He was subsequently arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder, shooting with intent to kill, and burglary.
In the months that followed, the legal process moved forward. In February 2024, Caleb Venson pleaded guilty to the murders. He was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences in prison without the possibility of parole, ensuring he would spend the remainder of his life behind bars for the devastating loss of three lives and the trauma inflicted on the surviving child.
