Tishomingo school board votes to conduct special audit

There are new details Friday on former Tishomingo superintendent Kevin Duncan, who we reported this week is under state investigation for possible misuse of school funds.

New superintendent Alicia O’Donnell says the school board has voted to hire an independent auditor to conduct a special audit of school funds.

News 12 has also confirmed that Duncan was not at work Friday at Atoka Public Schools, where he was hired as assistant superintendent this summer.

Atoka superintendent Jay McAdams said he couldn't comment on Duncan’s job status because it's a personnel matter.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation says a search warrant led them to find several of the items that were listed as suspicious purchases inside Kevin Duncan's home.

"There was an area rug found, the television, three lampshades and a red and black Liftmaster Solar Residential Linear Actuator," OSBI Public Information Officer Jordan Solorzano said.

Those were just some of the 10 items taken from Duncan's home last week.

Solorzano says O’Donnell was searching through documents when she found the purchases allegedly made by Duncan.

"The suspicious purchases were made from March of 2016 to May of 2018," Solorzano said. "Mr. Duncan's last day as Tishomingo School's Superintendent was June 30, 2018."

In total over $1,000 worth of electronics, including an iPad, TV, Samsung phone and home decorations were purchased with the school's money according to investigators.

"It was explained the funds in this account are strictly allocated for school related construction and purchases only," Solorzano said.

"If there is truth in this, they are stealing from the children." former resident Althea Brownlee said. "They aren't stealing from us. They are stealing from the children, and that makes it even worse."

"At the beginning of the year we spend a lot of money to get our kids going back to school. We spend it on clothes, supplies, and yeah it's wrong," Ray Mejia said.

OSBI says they will be sending all of their findings to the District Attorney's office once their investigation is complete.

Duncan's wife, Shelley, is awaiting retrial for an alleged sexual relationship with a then-14 year old Tishomingo boy in 2016.