Neighbors grieve for Edmond woman found dead in her home

“We may be a smaller city, but we have the same problems as other cities do,” he said.

Almon, 36, said his great aunt recently moved from Lawton and was staying in the home.

“She never did nothing wrong to deserve this,” he said, tears welling up in his eyes.

Neighbors said Sparks seemed like a sweet man but was always yelling and talking to himself.

“He kind of wanders the neighborhood. He's always yelling and screaming across the street,” said neighbor Christina Scott.

Scott, 36, said she thought Sparks had a mental illness, but she couldn't imagine he would ever hurt someone.

“I would have never guessed that,” she said. “I never felt threatened by him at all.”

Neighbor Melissa Peach lives in another house behind the residence. She said she used to hear yelling and screaming at 3 a.m. that sounded like it was coming from Sparks.