A Vian woman has been arrested after authorities say she allegedly shot and killed her husband Thursday night, a man widely known across Oklahoma and Indian Country for decades of public service and historical preservation.
According to a report by NEWS ON 6, Sequoyah County Sheriff Larry Lane confirmed deputies arrested Elizabeth Poteete, 70, who is accused of shooting and killing her husband, Troy Wayne Poteete, on Thursday night.
The sheriff says the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is now handling the investigation.
Elizabeth Poteete was booked into the Sequoyah County Detention Center at 4:22 a.m. on Feb. 6 on a complaint of homicide. Formal charges have yet to be filed as of press time.
Investigators have released few details about what led to the shooting. The victim, Troy Wayne Poteete, was a former Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Justice, longtime tribal leader and nationally recognized Cherokee historian.
Following news of his death, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. issued a statement mourning the loss.
“Today we mourn the loss of Troy Wayne Poteete, who left an indelible mark as a public servant of the Cherokee Nation,” Hoskin said.
“Troy Wayne served as a Cherokee Nation Tribal Council member from 199199, helping shape legislative policy during a pivotal era of growth, and his dedication to protecting the tribe continued after he was appointed as a Justice of the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court in 2007.”
Hoskin noted that Poteete was also serving as Director of the Arkansas Riverbed Authority and was widely known for his passion for Cherokee culture.
“Troy Wayne was instantly recognizable wearing his distinctive traditional turbans — headwear in homage to our ancestors,” the chief said. “Beyond his service to tribal government, Troy Wayne was an esteemed historian and preservationist of Cherokee life and culture.”
Poteete was a founding member and the current executive director of the National Trail of Tears Association and worked tirelessly to educate others about Cherokee history.
“All of his efforts have helped preserve not only historic sites but allowed many to gain a deeper understanding of that dark chapter in American history,” Hoskin said. “Troy Wayne’s passing represents a significant loss of institutional knowledge and cultural passion. Today we take pause and honor his legacy of leadership and life’s work.”
Poteete’s career with the Cherokee Nation spanned more than three decades. He was elected in 1991 to represent the Three Rivers District on the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council, becoming part of the first group of councilors elected by district since Oklahoma statehood. After serving two terms, he did not seek re-election.
In 2000, he was appointed executive director of the Arkansas Riverbed Authority, a joint tribal entity created by the Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Cherokee Nations.
He later earned a law degree from the University of Tulsa in 2001 and entered private practice.
In 2007, then–Cherokee Nation Chief Chad Smith appointed Poteete to serve as a justice on the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court.
He also helped found the Webbers Falls Historical Society, served as executive director of the Cherokee Nation Historical Society, and was a delegate to the Cherokee Nation Constitutional Convention in 1999.
He regularly lectured about Cherokee history and represented the tribe on the Five Civilized Tribes Museum Board.
Authorities have not released any information regarding a possible motive in the shooting, and funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
