A woman who won almost $2 million in the California lottery less than a year ago was allegedly murdered by her new husband, who also killed her 1-year-old daughter before turning the pistol on himself.
Tiffani Hill, her daughter Leanne, and her husband, John Donato, were discovered in their house in Calera, Oklahoma, on July 30 with gunshot wounds to the head, according to local news outlet KXII.
When authorities arrived, the little girl was still alive, but she died after being evacuated to a Texas hospital. Hill and Donato were pronounced dead at the scene.
Hill, 31, was a victim of domestic violence, according to authorities. In November 2020, she was living in California when she won $2 million on a scratch off ticket.
She married Donato, 42, a few months later, and the couple moved to Oklahoma in 2021. A tragedy occurred on July 31, 2021.
It was a double murder-suicide, according to police. Police say, Donato, 42, fatally shot Hill and their 23-month-old daughter, Leanne Donato, in their new home in Calera, Oklahoma, before turning the gun on himself.
Hill's three older kids, ages 7, 9, and 11, were present at the time of the murder-suicide but were not hurt.
The $2 million lottery win, according to the family lawyer, was a "source of friction" in John Donato and Tiffani Hill's brief marriage.
"Is it possible that this is what triggered the argument? We'll never be able to find out, "Theresa McGehee, an attorney who has previously represented the Hill family, was questioned. "However, I am aware that there were moments when it caused them to quarrel."
The FBI is handling the investigation Because the double murder-suicide occurred on tribal grounds. According to SFgate, Hill was a Choctaw Nation registered member.
Jamie Kern, Hill's sister, set up a GoFundMe campaign to aid the three surviving children return to California.
Hill's lottery winnings will be put into a trust for the surviving children.