(Stillwater, Okla.) – A man with a history of domestic violence has been jailed on $100,000 bail in the killing of his father at their Perkins residence where at least 21 gunshots were fired, according to a state crime bureau agent’s affidavit.
Jerry Ray Craine, 36, who claimed self-defense in the fatal shooting of his 61-year-old father Thomas Craine, has been charged with first-degree manslaughter punishable by four years to life in prison on conviction.
The slaying of his father, who died of a gunshot wound to the chest, occurred four and one-half months after Jerry Craine was placed on probation for assault and battery of his wife in 2017, records show. Jerry Craine had also been placed on probation in 2001 for domestic abuse of his father, court records show.
Jerry Craine was arrested in his father’s slaying on Oct. 24 by Perkins police at the request of Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Agent Lynda Stevens, who alleged in an affidavit “an analysis of the crime scene indicated Jerry’s account of what took place at his residence did not support the evidence found at the crime scene.”
When Perkins police were called to the home in the 100 block of Payne Street at 5:13 p.m. on July 29, Jerry Craine was in the front yard, the affidavit said. “Officers heard (Jerry) Craine stating, ‘I shot at him. It’s self-defense. He shot at me. That mother f….. shot at me first, man,’” the affidavit alleged.
His father, who was shot once in the leg and once in the chest, was found dead inside the residence where he had lived with his son for about two months, the affidavit said.
“Jerry reported Thomas had mental health issues and had been in and out of mental health facilities throughout his adult life. Jerry reported Thomas had run out of his medication about a month ago…Jerry reported Thomas would say to him, ‘I’m gonna do you in.’ Jerry reported Thomas’ threats were just threats and there wasn’t ever follow-through on Thomas’ part,” the affidavit alleged.
On the day of the slaying, Jerry Craine and his wife, who lived apart from him, had been in Stillwater, but returned to Perkins after his neighbor called to tell him that the 10-year-old son of Jerry Craine’s wife said Thomas Craine had a gun, the affidavit alleged. Jerry Craine told the neighbor they would be home shortly to handle the situation — and not to call the police, the affidavit alleged.
Jerry Craine claimed that when he opened the door to his house, he “saw Thomas standing near the entryway to the kitchen and with a pistol pointed at him…Jerry reported Thomas said to him, ‘If you come in, I’m gonna shoot you,’” the affidavit alleged.
Jerry Craine said that he retreated from his house, went directly to his vehicle, retrieved his 9 mm pistol, loaded one 12-round magazine in it, and put a second 12-round magazine in his pocket, the affidavit alleged.
When Jerry Craine went one or two steps inside the front doorway of his house, “Within 10 seconds of Jerry verbally trying to get Thomas to put the gun down, Jerry reported Thomas advanced on him and began shooting at him. Jerry stated Thomas ‘didn’t aim that well, but he aimed’ and Jerry reported Thomas’ first shot went right past his head,” the affidavit alleged.
“Jerry reported he returned fire at Thomas as Thomas shot at him. Jerry stated he shot off one full magazine at Thomas,” ran outside to the front porch and reloaded a second magazine into his gun, the affidavit alleged.
When Jerry Craine returned, “Jerry stated Thomas again began shooting at him. Jerry reported he returned fire, but only shot two or three rounds during this stint of the shooting…Jerry reported he heard Thomas gurgling and coughing blood. Jerry reported about the time he stopped shooting, the police arrived at his residence,” and he put down his gun, the affidavit alleged.
Jerry Craine’s wife “reported she heard between 20 to 30 gunshots go off,” the affidavit alleged.
Jerry Craine provided multiple reasons why he did not call police when he was first notified by his neighbor that his father had a gun, according to the affidavit. “Jerry also reported he had an AR-15 in his bedroom…Jerry reported, ‘If Thomas shot the cops with my AR-15, I’m in big trouble,’” the affidavit alleged.
“Jerry reported he knew it was the police’s job to handle situations like this, but Jerry reported it was a ‘matter of honor’ for him to be able to take care of his family, protect his family, and protect his property…Jerry reported if he had to do it over, he wouldn’t do anything any different,” the affidavit alleged.
“Jerry stated, ‘I have little firearms training,’” the affidavit alleged.
However, Perkins police documents and body camera video footage from a domestic incident at Jerry Craine’s house 10 months earlier contradicted information that he gave OSBI agents regarding his father’s death, the affidavit alleged.
“The night of Sept. 28, 2017, Jerry told the officer he was part of a ‘gang’ and he referenced ‘1776’ and ‘The Three Percenters.’ Jerry reported his gang was trained by ‘Green Beret’ and by ‘Navy Seals.’
“Jerry made several references about officers all over the country were getting ambushed and how it would eventually happen there (inferring Perkins, Oklahoma). Jerry told the officer, ‘You’re lucky I didn’t ambush you when you got there (Jerry’s residence)…Jerry told the officer, ‘One of these days we’re gonna hold court in the f…… streets,’” the affidavit alleged.
“Based on federal law, anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence is prohibited from possessing firearms,” which Jerry Craine violated on the day his father was fatally shot, the affidavit alleged.
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