GARY | A Wisconsin woman was shot and killed Friday in a drug deal gone bad.

The Lake County Coroner's office identified the woman as Shannon Buttles, 44, of Fremont.

Gary Police Department spokesman Sam Roberts, who identified the woman as ShanAnna Buttles. said the woman and her companion of 18 years, whom Roberts declined to identify, were Wisconsin residents who had been expelled from a methadone program in their home state.

Roberts said the couple came to Gary to attempt to enroll in a methadone program but were not successful. They were in the Glen Park area Friday looking to purchase methadone, he said.

After meeting a man who said he'd sell them methadone, Roberts said the couple and the man went behind a business on West Ridge Road to complete the deal.

"(The suspect) did not have methadone to sell them, and they began to argue," he said.

The man is reported to have reached into the couple's 1990 Buick Riviera as Buttles' companion attempted to pull away. Still hanging onto the car, the suspect pulled out a gun and shot Buttles in the head, Roberts said.

Buttles' companion continued westbound on Ridge Road, striking a pole before coming to a stop in the parking lot of a bar on the corner of Ridge Road and Grant Street.

Police were alerted at 4 p.m. Responding were officers from the Gary Police Department, the Lake County Sheriff's Department and a canine team.

Buttles was pronounced dead at 5:06 p.m. by a unit from the Lake County Coroner.

A suspect is not in custody, Roberts said. Police continue to investigate.