On a tragic Wednesday evening in Woodward, Oklahoma, the life of 81-year-old Gary Wayne Mulbery was cut short in a violent encounter. The incident unfolded around 5 p.m. on December 4, 2024, in the parking lot of the local Walmart. Mulbery, a resident of nearby Laverne, was shot while loading groceries into a vehicle. He was critically injured and airlifted to OU Health in Oklahoma City, but succumbed to his injuries later that night.
Also killed in the shooting was his 42-year-old daughter, Christina Marie Alewine, who was pronounced dead at the scene. This shocking event has been described as a double homicide that has deeply affected the small-town communities of Woodward and Laverne.
The suspect in the double homicide was quickly identified and apprehended by the Woodward Police Department. Shane Allison, a 30-year-old man from Beaver County, was taken into custody near a detention pond west of Woodward High School shortly after the shooting. Allison surrendered to authorities without a chase. He was subsequently booked into the Woodward County Jail on two counts of first-degree murder. Court documents and police statements revealed that Allison confessed to the killings, stating that he had planned the attack a day in advance. When arrested, he was found with a revolver and had been carrying a bag containing a sawed-off shotgun, a rifle, and a large quantity of ammunition. He told investigators he was 'preparing for war.'
The motive for this tragic event appears to be rooted in a personal conflict. Gary Mulbery was reportedly in a relationship with Shane Allison's mother, and Allison and his mother were living on Mulbery's property. It is believed that the relationship between Mulbery and Allison's mother was ending, and Mulbery was planning to evict them. Allison told police that he was aware of the impending eviction, and this is thought to be the primary catalyst for the fatal shooting. On the day of the incident, Allison had uncharacteristically accompanied his mother, Mulbery, and Alewine on their shopping trip to Woodward. While the others went into the Walmart, Allison remained outside with the weapons. He then shot Mulbery and Alewine as they were loading their groceries. Following his confession, Allison was held in the Woodward County Jail without bond. In addition to the murder charges, he also faces two counts of possession of a sawed-off weapon. His preliminary hearing was scheduled for early January.
