Police: Man charged in fatal shooting of ex-wife, her boyfriend inside St. James home
Daniel Coppola, of Head of the Harbor, was charged with two counts of murder in the second degree.
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Police say a man was charged Thursday in connection to the fatal shooting of his ex-wife and her boyfriend inside a St. James home late Wednesday night.
Daniel Coppola, of Head of the Harbor, was charged with two counts of murder in the second degree.
Police responded to a 911 call around 11:45 p.m. about a 15-year-old leaving the Brasswood Road residence with her father, without her mother's knowledge. Authorities say the incident was domestic in nature and that the suspect and his ex-wife were going through a contentious divorce.
Upon arrival, officers located two adults inside the house, dead from gunshot wounds.
The victims have been identified as Kelly Coppola, 50, and 53-year-old Kenneth Pohlman. Police say Kelly Coppola and Kenneth Pohlman lived at the St. James residence together.
According to police, Kelly Coppola and 50-year-old Daniel Coppola had a 15-year-old daughter who was at the home.
Police say Daniel Coppola told his daughter to leave the house.
“He went to the house on Brasswood Road, picked the girl up, put her in his car, committed the murders, drove her from there to Harbor Road. As he is driving her, she is communicating with friends via text, saying ‘I don’t know what my father did, I don’t know how my mother is.’ They try and reach out to the mother, can’t get in touch with the mother, they call 911,” said Detective Lt. Kevin Beyrer.
Cathy Schoen, of St. James, said she heard the gunshots and was concerned. Sher said it’s “tragic” and will be very sad for the young girl.
Daniel Coppola was being mentally evaluated based on suicidal statements he made, according to officials.
