On May 31, 2018, 73-year-old Patricia Louise Duff, a White female, was found deceased on the back porch of her Sand Springs, Oklahoma home. An argument between Duff and her 56-year-old boyfriend, Darius Hatfield, had escalated, moving from inside their residence to the outside at the request of witnesses. It was there that Duff sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the face.
Hatfield contacted 911, claiming the shooting was accidental and occurred during a struggle over the firearm.
However, investigators from the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office found inconsistencies between his account and the evidence at the scene. After interviewing relatives and neighbors, authorities determined the shooting was intentional and took Hatfield into custody on a first-degree murder complaint. It was reported that the argument leading to the shooting was concerning the future of their relationship, which Duff may have been intending to end.
Friends and neighbors described Patricia as a sweet and friendly individual, and there were no prior public indications of domestic issues between the couple. The investigation proceeded, but the legal case against Hatfield came to an abrupt end when he attempted to take his own life while incarcerated and later died from his injuries in the hospital. Patricia was remembered as a devoted mother, daughter, and a friend who was always willing to help those in need.
