Fatal Prineville shooting is family’s second big blow
The fatal shooting of a Christmas Valley man near Prineville is the second tragedy in months to befall a family, as the body of the victim’s former wife was found earlier this year in Klamath Lake.
Around 5 a.m Thursday, James Scott, 39, was found shot and killed in a vehicle in the Juniper Canyon area south of Prineville.
Scott was formerly married to Alicia Scott, whose body found in Klamath Lake just a few months ago, in March, weeks after she was reported missing.
Linda Maris, Alicia Scott’s grieving mother, described Friday her relationship with James.
“Jim and I were close. He used to call me mom” she said, “Because he felt like I was the mother figure in his life. And he was a good man. He was a God-fearing man.”
“Him and his wife Alicia got divorced recently, and Alicia’s my daughter and she passed away, January, February in Klamath Falls. She was that girl they found floating in the Klamath (Lake) waters.”
The Scotts had five children. Another family member later informed NewsChannel 21 that two of the children are with their biological father and three others were adopted by family members some time ago.
The couple had been going through a custody battle for the kids. They had gone through a divorce due to child services issues that came from their involvement with methamphetamine.
James Scott was going through drug treatment for the second time when he was killed.
“Addiction is a bad thing,” Maris said, “And I have no doubt that if these addictions were not in place, that both Jim and Alicia would still be alive.”
“It hit the kids really really hard,” she said. “But every day, they’re going to get stronger. There’s going to be hills and valleys, as my mother used to say. As long as those kids have family, they’ll be okay.”
On Thursday, deputies arrested Michael Donovan, 25, of Prineville, on charges of murder, attempted murder and unlawful use of a weapon. He is being held without bail in the Crook County Jail. His arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
