Wife Shoots At Husband, Daughter

Updated: 4/27/2011 5:47 pm Published: 4/27/2011 8:52 am

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Okla. -- Allegations of sexual abuse and the discharge of a firearm landed a Cherokee County couple in jail after the wife found her husband and teenage daughter in a compromising situation.

Cherokee County law enforcers learned of the alleged sexual abuse Thursday after responding to reports of domestic violence at a home southwest of Tahlequah.

Deputy Preston Oosahwee said he learned upon his arrival that Terry Begay, 45, had fired four rounds from a 9 mm pistol at her husband and another round at the couple’s 16-year-old daughter. No injuries were reported.

The shots, according to reports, allegedly were fired during an argument that erupted after Begay found Stacey Begay, 46, hiding behind a door in their daughter’s bedroom, clad only in a shirt and socks.

According to a report released Tuesday by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Terry Begay told investigators she heard laughter coming from her daughter’s bedroom when she arrived home Thursday afternoon.

Upon further investigation, Begay told police, she found her daughter in bed and wearing only a shirt. Her husband, she said, was hiding behind a door. At some point, according to an investigator’s report, Begay got the pistol and began shooting.

It's a case that has outraged people across Cherokee County.

"It's a shock," the Begay's next door neighbor, Brian Strong, said. "I met the little girl several times, and she's just a real nice kid."

Strong says he never expected something like this could happen in his quiet neighborhood.

"Yeah, it's horrendous," Strong said.

Todd Cox also lives on the same street, and is just as upset as Strong.

"That just worries me that something like that can happen, in general," Cox said.

Cherokee County Undersheriff, Jason Chennault, says the bizarre circumstances make the case a bit tougher than most they deal with.

"It was a heat of the passion offense on the part of the mother for shooting at the father," Chennault said. "And I understand that. I mean, that's not the way to handle it, but I can see it being handled that way. She was upset and she didn't know what else to do."

Tahlequah resident Richard Jones says Begay should never have fired a shot at her adopted daughter, but he understands the urge to shoot at her husband.

"If it were me, there would be ramifications that I would try to inflict for sure," Jones said.

All four say the sexual relationship between Stacey Begay and his adopted daughter is inexcusable.

"The term father means he's got a certain responsibility," Strong said. "I don't care if he's adopted, foster; he's got a responsibility to protect the child, not endanger the child."

Stacey Begay remained in the Cherokee County Detention Center Thursday in lieu of a $15,000 bond on a complaint of sexually abusing a child. Terry Begay was released from jail Monday after posting a $30,000 bond on two complaints of assault and battery with a deadly weapon.