In the small town of Allen, Kentucky, a tragic event unfolded on October 16, 1981, forever altering the lives of many. Roger Dale Click, a 28-year-old male, was at an auto parts store when he was fatally shot. The day took a grim turn when a 70-year-old retired miner named William 'Okie' Bevins entered the establishment and opened fire, shooting eight men in total.
This violent outburst resulted in the deaths of five individuals, including Click.
Just moments before the shooting, a sense of foreboding seemed to loom. Click made a desperate phone call to his mother's home, which was answered by his thirteen-year-old brother, Stanley. Over the phone, Stanley heard his brother's terrified cry, 'God help me, Mommy!,' followed by a sound he described as a popping belt. Another witness reported seeing Bevins and Click arguing outside the auto parts store shortly before the incident.
The motive behind this horrific act is believed to be rooted in a personal conflict. Witnesses suggested that the violence stemmed from an alleged relationship between Bevins and Roger Click's wife. It's thought that the other victims were tragically caught in the crossfire as Bevins intended to eliminate any witnesses to his primary target. After the shooting, Bevins reportedly drove home, disposed of the weapon in a well, and was found sitting on his porch when law enforcement arrived.
William 'Okie' Bevins was arrested and faced legal proceedings for the mass murder. He had a prior murder conviction from 1930, for which he had served seven years of a life sentence. In the investigation following the auto parts store shooting, Bevins claimed to have no memory of the day's events, attributing his amnesia to a spider bite. He did, however, acknowledge knowing Roger Click, stating that Click had previously been his tenant and had always paid his rent on time.
