Last night we were shocked to receive a message via Twitter that there had been a shooting in the McDonalds parking lot on Parker and Mainstreet. As more information came in from various news and community sources it was learned that the mother of three girls (Donna Marie Royer) was in the parking lot of the McDonalds when her ex-husband (Mark Steven Royer) shot her three times in the chest from his red Ford F-150 truck and drove off.
Witnesses say they heard the gun shots and saw her slump into a snow bank. She died soon after. Police were careful to say that the shooter was known to the woman and was Mark Royer whom she divorced last year. Donna Royer was granted a permanent restraining order against him in April due to domestic violence.
Fiveteen year old Christine Castello held Donna Royers head until the ambulance arrived to performed CPR and took her to the hospital. This young woman was interviewed and shown on all the networks last night. She was of course quite distraught and did her best to comfort Royer and tell her that her children were alright.
The Denver Post reports that one of her children saw the shooting but an eye witness we spoke with said they did not and were inside the restaurant and didn’t know or see what had happened.
Read more:Woman fatally shot in McDonald’s parking lot; exhusband suspected, found dead – The Denver Post
Royer’s truck was spotted South of Parker near Bayou Gulch a few hours later. Police searched the area and found the shooter Mark Royer dead – shot by his own gun.
The family moved to Parker from Hobbs, N.M where Donna’s Facebook page shows she’s from originally. It is also being reported that Donna was pregnant with a fourth child.
Lesley Martin Channel 7 producer passed along via Twitter that the Sec. of State page showed that the “church” that Mark Royer was show and president of ” The Renewed Hope Ministries” incorporation was revoked in December 2001. Channel 7 was first on the scene last night.
As of 10:30 p.m. last night the children were at the Parker police department and we don’t know if there are family members close nor if they have a church community yet.
The outpouring via Facebook and Twitter from the Parker community, public officials and business owners wanting to do something for the three children left behind is typical of our small close knit community and there will certainly be a memorial fund set up as soon as the banks open. We’ll be sure to pass on all of the information as soon as we know something.
Please pray for the children.
Local resources for domestic violence include: Women’s Crisis Center is in Douglas County (303-688-8484) and Gateway in Arapahoe County (303-343-1851)
