Salon manager dies trying to protect employee
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - Worried about an escalating conflict, Amanda Connors drove up to the door of the hair salon she managed and confronted her employee's boyfriend, who had just kidnapped his two kids after being hit with a protection order and domestic violence arrest.
The heroic decision cost Connors her life, but the mother's was spared.
Police said Connors was leaving the Sioux Falls salon Tuesday afternoon when she saw Tyrone Leeon Smith, 38, with the kids in the parking lot. She phoned the store from her car to warn her employees, including Smith's girlfriend, then pulled her car up. Smith exchanged words with Connors as he stood in the Cost Cutters doorway before fatally shooting Connors in the head.
As her red sedan accelerated into a parked SUV, Smith ducked inside, fired another shot and then zip-tied his girlfriend and her three co-workers.
A half hour later, Smith let the employees go and put a bullet in his head, police said.
"I personally don't think his intent was to go to that scene and to kill Amanda," said Sioux Falls police Chief Doug Barthels. "It was unfortunate that it happened the way it did.
"Frankly, I kind of see her as a hero."
The escalation between Smith and his live-in girlfriend began Sunday evening when Smith was arrested on a domestic assault charge. He walked out of jail Monday after pleading not guilty. Heidi Weber was granted a temporary protection order barring Smith from coming within 500 feet of her, their 7-week-old son, their 17-month daughter, her 9-year-old daughter and their home.
Smith's third ex-wife, Delana Austin of Madison, said Wednesday that she had tried to warn Smith's girlfriend, police, prosecutors and judges about him.
"There's no reason she needed to die," Austin said of Connors. "I've been warning them. I've been trying to tell people. I've been doing it since I've been blue in the face and no one would listen."
Weber in her petition said Smith became angry when he found out she had gone through the phone bill. She said he pushed her onto the bed and put his hands around her neck. Smith's 17-year-old son and the teen's mother, Smith's first wife, filed a second petition saying the teen tried to grab his dad during the confrontation and was threatened.
The incident at Cost Cutters was the first contact between Smith and Weber since the altercation, said Sioux Falls police Capt. Greg VandeKamp. Everything that could have been legally done to protect Weber and the kids was done, he said, noting a protection order simply orders no contact.
"It is a piece of paper," VandeKamp said. "It is an order, and just like a posted speed limit, not everyone is going to obey it."
Just before 1 p.m. Tuesday, Smith barged into the baby sitter's house, grabbed the kids, zip-tied the woman to a chair and removed her cellphone's battery. Four minutes later, police received a call about an accident in the salon parking lot. When officers arrived, they found the crashed car and bystanders attending to the bleeding woman. Smith went back inside, locked the doors and fired a shot that went through a wall and grazed an employee's leg. She was not injured, VandeKamp said.
No customers were in the store, but Smith tied up the employees and made it clear he planned to hurt himself. Within a half hour, Weber persuaded Smith to let everyone go. As the employees left, they heard a single gunshot, VandeKamp said.
A SWAT team surrounded the salon and closed off three blocks on Sioux Falls' busiest street. Just before 4 p.m., officers stormed in and found Smith's body.
Cost Cutters remained closed Wednesday. Outside was a makeshift memorial that included candles, teddy bears, flowers, handwritten notes and a pair of black heels with balloons attached.
"It's kind of scary. I never thought anything like this would happen here," 33-year-old Lindsey Iron Road, who stopped to take a picture.
Austin said she had tried to warn Weber before Weber left Smith.
"I just told her, 'For safety you don't go back to him. Don't tell him. Don't do anything. Just don't go there,'" she said.
Minnehaha County court records show Austin filed protection orders requests in 2009 and 2010. Both were dismissed at her request. Records also show numerous protection order petitions filed by Smith against Austin, her family members and a friend of hers.
Austin left Smith in September 2010 and went back to her hometown in Indiana. She says Smith filed a protection order falsely accusing her of threatening to kill herself and their daughter.
"He's a chameleon," Austin said. "He could change his persona to meet whoever the judge was to make them feel like he was the victim.
Connors' killing was the second homicide this year in Sioux Falls, South Dakota's largest city, Barthels said.
The heroic decision cost Connors her life, but the mother's was spared.
Police said Connors was leaving the Sioux Falls salon Tuesday afternoon when she saw Tyrone Leeon Smith, 38, with the kids in the parking lot. She phoned the store from her car to warn her employees, including Smith's girlfriend, then pulled her car up. Smith exchanged words with Connors as he stood in the Cost Cutters doorway before fatally shooting Connors in the head.
As her red sedan accelerated into a parked SUV, Smith ducked inside, fired another shot and then zip-tied his girlfriend and her three co-workers.
A half hour later, Smith let the employees go and put a bullet in his head, police said.
"I personally don't think his intent was to go to that scene and to kill Amanda," said Sioux Falls police Chief Doug Barthels. "It was unfortunate that it happened the way it did.
"Frankly, I kind of see her as a hero."
The escalation between Smith and his live-in girlfriend began Sunday evening when Smith was arrested on a domestic assault charge. He walked out of jail Monday after pleading not guilty. Heidi Weber was granted a temporary protection order barring Smith from coming within 500 feet of her, their 7-week-old son, their 17-month daughter, her 9-year-old daughter and their home.
Smith's third ex-wife, Delana Austin of Madison, said Wednesday that she had tried to warn Smith's girlfriend, police, prosecutors and judges about him.
"There's no reason she needed to die," Austin said of Connors. "I've been warning them. I've been trying to tell people. I've been doing it since I've been blue in the face and no one would listen."
Weber in her petition said Smith became angry when he found out she had gone through the phone bill. She said he pushed her onto the bed and put his hands around her neck. Smith's 17-year-old son and the teen's mother, Smith's first wife, filed a second petition saying the teen tried to grab his dad during the confrontation and was threatened.
The incident at Cost Cutters was the first contact between Smith and Weber since the altercation, said Sioux Falls police Capt. Greg VandeKamp. Everything that could have been legally done to protect Weber and the kids was done, he said, noting a protection order simply orders no contact.
"It is a piece of paper," VandeKamp said. "It is an order, and just like a posted speed limit, not everyone is going to obey it."
Just before 1 p.m. Tuesday, Smith barged into the baby sitter's house, grabbed the kids, zip-tied the woman to a chair and removed her cellphone's battery. Four minutes later, police received a call about an accident in the salon parking lot. When officers arrived, they found the crashed car and bystanders attending to the bleeding woman. Smith went back inside, locked the doors and fired a shot that went through a wall and grazed an employee's leg. She was not injured, VandeKamp said.
No customers were in the store, but Smith tied up the employees and made it clear he planned to hurt himself. Within a half hour, Weber persuaded Smith to let everyone go. As the employees left, they heard a single gunshot, VandeKamp said.
A SWAT team surrounded the salon and closed off three blocks on Sioux Falls' busiest street. Just before 4 p.m., officers stormed in and found Smith's body.
Cost Cutters remained closed Wednesday. Outside was a makeshift memorial that included candles, teddy bears, flowers, handwritten notes and a pair of black heels with balloons attached.
"It's kind of scary. I never thought anything like this would happen here," 33-year-old Lindsey Iron Road, who stopped to take a picture.
Austin said she had tried to warn Weber before Weber left Smith.
"I just told her, 'For safety you don't go back to him. Don't tell him. Don't do anything. Just don't go there,'" she said.
Minnehaha County court records show Austin filed protection orders requests in 2009 and 2010. Both were dismissed at her request. Records also show numerous protection order petitions filed by Smith against Austin, her family members and a friend of hers.
Austin left Smith in September 2010 and went back to her hometown in Indiana. She says Smith filed a protection order falsely accusing her of threatening to kill herself and their daughter.
"He's a chameleon," Austin said. "He could change his persona to meet whoever the judge was to make them feel like he was the victim.
Connors' killing was the second homicide this year in Sioux Falls, South Dakota's largest city, Barthels said.
This is EXACTLY why I carry a gun instead of relying on a piece of paper to protect me from the person who has already tried to kill me once and threatened to finish the job to the judge. He's currently sitting in Western State Psychiatric hospital, so thanks to HIPAA laws, I won't know when he's out and ready to come try again.
Glad he got him self instead of killing even more people. That salon owner should have called the police, not just the salon employees.
Chronic domestic violence a**holes should be included in the three strikes laws.Â
I think what the salon owner did was brave but also very stupid. Her life could have been spared if she would have just stayed away from this man, had the employees lock the door when she called to warn them that he was there and call the cops. So sad.
So the guys first, second and third wives all knew he was a POS and the current GF knew this and continued the relationship until it put not only her life but those of her children in danger. Then her boss is murdered in the conflict. This sounds like next weeks episode of "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo". Were Cheetos and Mt Dew involved?
hind sight is always so clear.... Â in the end, at least he saved the tax payers a few dollars. Â
That other woman, should not have gotten involved. Period. Calling the salon makes sense, it gets other innocents (employees, customers) out of the way. But you *never* put yourself in the line of fire over someone elses bad choices.
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 She's dead now, and the woman she is touted as protecting? Odds are she'll go out and date another guy just like this.  What a waste.
Now that woman is a real hero. Put her life on the line for someone else without wanting a reward.
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and if you've never known a woman who's been in an abusive relationship, you need to NOT make comments about why she was or had been there with this clown.  they look, smell, taste and act like wonderful people until they take control of the woman's heart, life and soul. the woman usually can't find a way out from under that dominating control even if she wanted to.  I've know a couple of women trapped in that kind of relationship. One got out, the other - we keep trying to get her out, but she kept going back because of the control he had over her. I hope she eventually got out.
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@FormerMarineSgt - you are absolutely correct sir! I've worked with and knew many, many women in domestic abuse situations - many times the man threatens the kids and/or the pets. In some cases, they even threaten her parents or family. It is tough for them to get away from such a 'person' but I've helped 3 women in my lifetime get away and stay away. Not by doing anything direct, but by showing them how it can be done and being there for them as a 'bolster' until they got the courage on their own. Hang in there with that other woman - she needs a 'light' in the fog.
 @Elaine2  @FormerMarineSgt Having known some who have been in abusive relationships, I can vouch that they stayed in them no matter how many chances to get out were offered, and that they always went back to the abuser by night fall, - when they attempted to leave them and had a stable place to stay, and that they continued abusive relationships for the next decades with the same guy or other abusers. Yes, I HAVE known women in abusive relationships - first hand. Unfortunately I have actually tried to help some so have the experience bias.
I wonder why some women are always attracted to bad guys.....
@skulls98040 Sounds like several women made that choice with this loser. Too bad someone who did NOT make that mistake was the one who ultimately paid for it
Tragic indeed. Â I wonder at what point she knew Tyrone Leeon was a POS? Shame they had a 7 week and 17 month daughter together. Guess he wasn't always a jerk...
 @Sid Vishess I doubt that.  He was probably a jerk 17 months ago, too.  DV suspects generally see if from their parent and begin to behave that way at a young age.