Two married Tulsa police officers are being held without bond in the shooting death of their daughter’s boyfriend.
Shannon Kepler, 54, and his wife, Gina Kepler, 48, are in the Tulsa County jail accused of first degree murder and accessory after the fact.
Shannon Kepler worked in the police academy, while Gina Kepler was a patrol officer. Both are suspended from the police department with pay.
The bizarre tragedy unfolded Tuesday night when Shannon Kepler got into a heated argument with his 18-year-old daughter, Lisa Kepler, on a residential street. Lisa’s boyfriend of one week, Jeremey Lake, 19, stepped up to introduce himself to Lisa’s dad.
Shannon Kepler, a veteran officer of 24 years, drew a gun and shot Lake 3 times in the chest and neck before fleeing the scene in his SUV. Lake was pronounced dead at the scene. Keppler later turned himself in to Tulsa police.
Police say the Keplers couldn’t have children of their own so they adopted Lisa and her sister at an early age. Both girls were diagnosed with attachment disorder which made it difficult for them to bond with the Keplers.
The Keplers’ friends say they spent thousands of dollars trying to get help for Lisa’s emotional and behavioral problems, including putting her in juvenile homes but she often ran away.
When Lisa turned 18, a frustrated Shannon Kepler drove her to a downtown Tulsa homeless shelter and left her there. He told friends he was trying to teach her a lesson. But Mrs. Kepler worried about her daughter and cried every night.
While at the shelter, Lisa met Jeremey, a mild mannered biracial boy who volunteered at the shelter. He invited her to move in with him and his aunt nearby. Lisa professed her love for Jeremey on her Facebook page after dating him for one week.
According to published reports, the couple was walking near his aunt’s home when Shannon and Gina Kepler drove by in an SUV. Shannon Kepler parked near the couple and exchanged words with Lisa outside the truck. Lisa ran away when the shooting started. Her father reportedly fired at the fleeing girl but missed.
In an interview with Tulsa World, Lisa Kepler said her parents kicked her out of the house due to “poor life decisions.” She said she hopes her dad “rots in prison.”
