“Her Life or His”: Oklahoma Woman Accused of Shooting Husband While He Slept After Alleged Brutal Beating

A 63-year-old Oklahoma woman is facing a first-degree murder charge after allegedly shooting her husband of 40 years inside their home. But behind the fatal shooting is a disturbing account of domestic violence that the woman reportedly described to emergency dispatchers and investigators. Salomi Derena Ochsner is accused of killing her 63-year-old husband, Jeff Ochsner, at their home in Chattanooga, Oklahoma. According to an affidavit cited by Law&Crime, Salomi called 911 at approximately 5:35 a.m. on October 30, 2026, and reported that she had just shot and killed her husband.

During the emergency call, Salomi reportedly told dispatchers that her husband had beaten her the previous night and that she feared he was going to kill her. She allegedly said she believed it was “her life or his” and asked for medical assistance because her head was bleeding and she needed stitches. When deputies arrived at the residence around 7 a.m., they found Jeff lying on his back on the bedroom floor, near a large amount of blood on the bed. Authorities reported that he showed no signs of life. Officers also noticed a serious injury on Salomi’s head, including a laceration approximately 3.5 inches long above her left eye.

According to the charging affidavit, Salomi later described what she said happened the evening before the shooting. She allegedly told investigators that Jeff had returned home from hunting around 6:30 or 7 p.m. and dragged her out of bed before throwing her onto the floor. She claimed he then grabbed her by the hair and repeatedly slammed her head against the floor, leaving her bleeding. Salomi reportedly said she remained on the floor for roughly two hours before cleaning up the blood and eventually going to sleep around 8:30 p.m. Her account also stated that Jeff had gone to the living room and watched television after the alleged assault.

Investigators say the shooting happened several hours later, at approximately 5:30 a.m. Salomi allegedly retrieved a .38 Special revolver from beside the bed and went into the bedroom where her husband was sleeping. According to the affidavit, Jeff was lying face down when she stood at the foot of the bed and fired. He reportedly rolled off the bed and fell onto the floor. Salomi allegedly told investigators that she saw he was still breathing and fired approximately one or two additional shots. She later received medical treatment for her head injury before being taken to the Tillman County Law Enforcement Center for questioning.

Salomi Ochsner now faces one count of first-degree murder and is being held at the Tillman County jail on $200,000 bond. The case raises difficult questions about the circumstances surrounding the shooting, including the alleged violence that preceded it and the defendant’s reported claim that she feared for her life. Those details, however, remain allegations described in the charging documents and have not been established at trial. As the legal process moves forward, investigators and the courts will examine the evidence surrounding both the alleged assault and the fatal shooting.

Source: Law&Crime