An Oklahoma twister took her house and a local maniac took her life.
Colleen Hufford, the 54-year-old woman who was savagely beheaded by a deranged co-worker, was working at Vaughan Foods when a deadly tornado tore through Moore, Okla., last year and flattened her home.
But the food plant proved to be no sanctuary Thursday when Alton Nolen stormed inside and attacked Hufford, the first person who crossed his path.
“I just can’t imagine that,” said Deb Martin, 63, who was Hufford’s neighbor before the tornado struck. “Every time I saw her, she had a smile on her face. She was a really jolly and upbeat person.”
The FBI is now investigating the outbreak of Islamic State-like terror in the heartland because Nolen recently converted to Islam and had been trying to convert others.
Martin, who rebuilt after the 2013 twister that killed 24 Moore residents, said she immediately thought of ISIS and their videotaped beheadings when she heard what happened to her old neighbor.
“I know you read about it in other parts” of the world, Martin, 63, said. “But here in Moore? At Vaughan’s Foods? And she is the first person he sees? It sounds like ISIS.”
Police said there was no evidence that Nolen’s newfound faith figured in the grisly attack on Hufford and another woman who worked at the plant.
“This suspect was angry about some sort of incident that happened at the business,” Sgt. Jeremy Lewis of the Moore Police Department said. “These women really had nothing to do with that. He was just acting out against them. They are the first people he came in contact with.”
But NewsOK, the web operation of The Oklahoman newspaper, snagged a Facebook statement from a woman they believe is Nolen’s sister. They did not identify her.
http://dailyentertainmentnews.com/breaking-news/colleen-hufford-traci-johnson-beheading-victims-vaughan-foods-worker-alton-nolen/
Co-workers said Nolen himself had only just converted to Islam, according to News9. It is not yet known if his beliefs played a role in the attack; but his rap sheet definitely goes to show he is no good. According to Heavy.com Nolen was arrested for marijuana possession in 2009, assault and battery on a police officer in 2010, a traffic violation in 2006, driving with a suspended license in 2009, and cocaine with intent to distribute in 2006. He is said to be recovering from his wounds in a hospital.
Not much is known about the victims so far, but police keeps investigating the motive of his attack. Colleen Hufford, died at the scene at Vaughan Foods. We send our prayers to both Colleen’s and Traci’s friends and family.
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Nolen severed the head of Colleen Hufford, 54, Lewis said.
"Yes, she was beheaded," Lewis told The Associated Press before a Friday news conference.
Lewis said Nolen then stabbed Traci Johnson, 43, a number of times before Mark Vaughan, a reserve sheriff's deputy and the company's chief operating officer, shot him.
"This was not going to stop if he didn't stop it. It could have gotten a lot worse," Lewis said. "The threat had already stopped once we arrived."
Lewis said Moore police have asked the FBI to look into the man's background because of the nature of the attack, which follows a series of videotaped beheadings by Islamic State militants.
In a statement, FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Finch said the motive for the attack has not been determined but that there is no reason to believe there is a threat to anyone else.
A law enforcement official familiar with the investigation told the AP that while there was indication that Nolen was a Muslim convert and was trying to convert others to Islam, there is so far no connection to terrorism and no evidence of any worrisome travel.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, said Nolen had a Facebook page that was of potential interest to investigators but that "there doesn't appear to be any nexus to terrorism right now." But the official also said investigators were still looking into Nolen's background.
