POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY, Oklahoma – The Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal shooting near Macomb.
A gunshot victim, 60-year-old Harry L. Venosdel Jr., was found around 5 p.m. Sunday, February 24, at his home located off White Oaks Lane. Venosdel Jr. was discovered by others who live on the same plot of land.
911 Caller: “I just got home and found him dead laying out in front of his trailer.”
911 Caller: “He’s lying there, his eyes are kind of hazy, stiff, and cold…”
Before detectives arrived, it was believed that Venosdel Jr. died of natural causes. Once his heavy jacket was removed, investigators discovered he had been shot twice.
There was also a bullet hole found at a different home on the property.
Investigators also located a dead dog that had a gunshot wound.
“We had a dead dog that was shot, that was chained up. This was one of 10, or 15 dogs that was chained up. So, why do we have one dog shot and not the rest of them?” asked Undersheriff Travis Palmer.
The friends that discovered Venosdel Jr’s body own the land where the shooting happened. They reported that they were in town buying groceries and did not return home until 5 p.m. Their receipts provided a strong alibi, and deputies said they have fully cooperated in the case.
Right now, the shooter’s motive is unclear.
The undersheriff said that Venosdel Jr. was a registered sex offender.
Sent the following to the email address at the bottom of the source article:
It’s pretty doubtful the man had much of a social life, so you’re unlikely to find any motive other than the man’s status as a registered sex offender. If you need suspects, start with the victim of Venosdel’s original offense and his/her family members. Or get the IP addresses of whoever accessed the sheriff’s registry, his entry in particular. If you can’t find any suspects after that, I can only assume you’re not trying all that hard, probably because of the man’s registry status.
Incidents like these are probably the only crimes (other than failure to register or update) that the registry has some value. Use it accordingly.
Again, suggest others follow suit.
Widespread vigilantism and they want to argue the registry isn’t punishment.