CLAREMORE — Five years ago this week, Pamela Haynes’ 25-year-old daughter was slain in Oklahoma City.
“She was a beautiful young lady,” Haynes said of Vanessa Swaissi, who attended Sequoyah High School in Claremore. “She loved everybody. She had a heart of gold.”
To honor Swaissi’s memory and help raise money for a headstone, Haynes asked donors to sponsor a walk from her Mayes County home to Lone Elm Cemetery in rural Claremore, where her daughter is buried.
About 11 miles into the trek and short of her goal, Haynes was stopped Tuesday afternoon by Claremore Animal Control for what Haynes said was a lack of a animal permit for her donkey. To pay homage to Swaissi’s admiration of animals, Haynes was traveling with a donkey named Charlie and Rottweiler named Jack.
“She was not going to let me go through because of the permit,” Haynes said. “She said that I still needed the permit to walk the donkey through town.... I’m very disappointed because I would be there at the cemetery (Thursday) morning.”
Jean Hurst, animal control supervisor, disputed Haynes’ version of events, saying she allowed Haynes to continue after a welfare check of the donkey.
“There were no ordinances being broken,” Hurst said. “It was a security issue for her safety. She proceeded to walk her animal through the rest of town.
“I stopped her so she could go through an intersection that was under construction. Once she passed that intersection, she completed her task.”
Kenneth McCreary, Haynes’ former husband, ultimately brought a trailer to pick up the donkey and transport him back home, he said. McCreary said he was told by Hurst that permits are required for walking animals such as donkeys through town.
“There are a lot of people who ride across country,” said McCreary, a former longtime Tulsa police officer. “Why would they have to stop and get a permit from every municipality that they go through?”
Laverie O. Franklin and Nicco Travon Barnett were convicted of first-degree murder in the July 31, 2008 slaying of Swaissi, with Barnett receiving a life-without-parole prison sentence and Franklin a life term.
Prosecutors said Franklin and Barnett met Swaissi and a girlfriend at a gas station. The women had agreed to give them a ride when prosecutors said Barnett pulled out a gun and shot Swaissi. Barnett was also convicted of murder and is serving a life prison sentence.
At the time of her death, Swaissi, an exotic dancer, was enrolled in Rose State College in Midwest City and wanted to be a guidance counselor for troubled teens. Only a trellis and iron bench mark her grave at Lone Elm Cemetery.
“She had a rough life growing up so she wanted to help people in return,” said Ronni Carrocia, Swaissi’s sister. “She would have done anything for anybody.”
Haynes, 51, started her walk Monday at 4:35 p.m., the minute of her daughter’s death. By that evening, she was all wet.
“Jack taught me something new — how to get under a tree and take cover,” she said. “It rained. I thought this stuff would go away. But it stayed and it poured. I came out looking like a drowned rat, but I kept going.”
During her unusual journey, Charlie drew most of the attention.
“I had people that stopped and wanted to take pictures with the donkey,” Haynes said. “I had people that stopped and let their kids pet the donkey. I was totally astonished to see that. Vanessa would have loved it. She was an animal lover.”
Claremore
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