A Long Island father allegedly broke into his ex-wife's home to kill her and her boyfriend while his daughter waited in the car. Police say Daniel Coppola, 50, left his 15-year-old daughter outside in the car while he ambushed her mother, Kelly Coppola, 50, and her boyfriend, Kenneth Pohlman Jr., 53, on August 28. The couple reportedly had a bitter divorce, prompting Coppola to make his final move.
Coppola was arrested at his home a short time later. He now faces two counts of second-degree murder. The New York Post reported he was placed under a mental health watch for making suicidal statements.
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The father reportedly acted strangely before the deadly shooting.
Kenneth Pohlman Sr. told ABC 7 that Daniel Coppola was driving erratically with his daughter in the car earlier in the evening. The girl told her dad she wanted to go home, and when they arrived at Kelly Coppola's home, Daniel Coppola did something strange.
"So he leaves her in the car, goes behind the bush – she said behind the bush and evidently he broke down the door, went up and did what he did, came back, and told his daughter 'I killed your mother and Kenny,'" Kenneth Pohlman Sr. said.
The teenager alerted friends.
Frightened, the young girl reportedly texted her friends to tell them what her father had done, Detective Lieutenant Kevin Breyer told the Post. The teens then contacted police, who arrested Coppola about a mile from the crime scene. He was taken for a mental health evaluation after making suicidal statements.
Kelly Coppola and her boyfriend were apparently happy together.
His father said Kelly Coppala made Kenny Pohlman happy. "Kelly brought the best out of him and he brought the best out of her. They were very happy," Kenny Pohlman Sr. said, per ABC 7.
According to his brother, Tom Pohlman, Kenny Pohlman Jr. lost his wife to cancer 17 years ago, and now their children are losing a father.
"Two of his children had their mother taken from them 17 years ago from cancer. Today this maniac took their father from them," Tom Pohlman told ABC 7.
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Prior to the shooting, Coppola made an angry social media post.
A few hours before allegedly shooting his ex-wife and her boyfriend, Coppola posted an inflammatory post on Facebook about gender identity.
"He/she her/him what a bunch of f——g wackos like I need this in a corporate email. I don't give a s— about your orientation why do I need it in your signature line???" he wrote. "Do your job as a guy.women trans etc idk but don't need it in your email signature line. I'm done with this s— and f— u all that think this in normal can't wait for the blowback on this."
He was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree murder later that evening. If convicted, Coppola could spend the rest of his life in jail.
