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MOORE, Okla. (DailyKenn.com) — Serenity Sandra Renee Burton had just turned 18 and was mapping out her future as a pediatric nurse when a roommate turned gunman shattered her life and unleashed a rampage across the Oklahoma City metro area.
The high school senior, who dreamed of motherhood and had landed her first job days earlier, was shot to death around 4 a.m. Saturday in the couple's apartment at Lyons Estates on Eastern Avenue near East Main Street. Her boyfriend, who shared the home with the couple and the suspect, was wounded in the attack but survived after hospital treatment and has since been released.
Authorities identified the gunman as 34-year-old Deante Hawthorne, a longtime roommate with a history of violent offenses dating back to his teenage years. What began as a seemingly targeted domestic dispute quickly escalated into a hours-long crime wave. After the apartment shooting, Hawthorne fled in a stolen vehicle, triggering a chain of carjackings and further violence.
By 7:30 a.m., an unidentified man was found unresponsive in a nearby Moore apartment parking lot near Northeast 12th Street and Eastern Avenue, suffering what investigators described as a medical episode possibly linked to an encounter with Hawthorne. The man later died at a hospital.
Hawthorne ditched the vehicle and carjacked another driver near Northwest 11th Street and May Avenue in Oklahoma City. Around 12:24 p.m., he fatally shot 44-year-old Lenox Richardson in the 2100 block of Northeast 26th Street. Police soon spotted the suspect's car near Southeast 44th Street and Interstate 35, sparking a high-speed chase.
The pursuit ended dramatically near Interstate 240 and Eastern Avenue. Hawthorne crashed after veering through grassy medians, then attempted to hijack yet another vehicle. He was struck by two oncoming cars before emerging from the wreckage and confronting pursuing officers. A police sergeant opened fire, killing Hawthorne at the scene. The officer was placed on routine paid administrative leave pending an investigation.
No charges were filed against Hawthorne, who died at the confrontation. Moore and Oklahoma City police are treating the incidents as connected, with ongoing probes into motives. The boyfriend, recovering from his injuries, has not publicly detailed the apartment attack, and no other witnesses have come forward.
Burton's family, reeling from the loss just days after her birthday, remembered her as a beacon of kindness with an unyielding heart. "She loved everybody," said stepmother Chrissy Rowell, who noted Burton's generosity and faith. "She would give you the shirt off her back." Father Derek Burton, who last spoke to his daughter around 10 p.m. Friday about her new job and upcoming high school graduation in May, choked back tears: "I hope she knows how much she's loved. Just know, Ren, I'm here with you."
Sister Desiree Carter, who is pregnant, mourned the future aunt her niece would never meet. "She was so happy. We just had so many plans," Carter said. The family launched a GoFundMe to cover funeral and medical costs, emphasizing Burton's love for beauty, positivity and her online Epic Charter School studies.
The spree has stunned the tight-knit communities of Moore and Oklahoma City, prompting calls for vigilance amid rising concerns over gun violence. "This feels so unfair," Rowell added, grappling with anger and a commitment to forgiveness rooted in Burton's Christian beliefs. As investigators piece together Hawthorne's path, the Burtons focus on honoring their daughter's brief but bright life with a dignified farewell.
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