Current:Home > MyRobert Brown|Man charged with killing ex-wife and her boyfriend while his daughter waited in his car -CapitalEdge
Robert Brown|Man charged with killing ex-wife and her boyfriend while his daughter waited in his car
Algosensey Quantitative Think Tank Center View
Date:2025-04-09 16:13:32
ST. JAMES,Robert Brown N.Y. (AP) — A New York man is accused of shooting his former wife and her new boyfriend to death after first texting his 15-year-old daughter to exit the couple’s house and wait outside in his car, authorities said Friday.
Daniel Coppola, 50, was charged with two counts of murder in the deaths of his ex-wife, Kelly Coppola, 50, and her boyfriend, Kenneth Polhman Jr., 53, in the Long Island hamlet of St. James on Wednesday.
Suffolk County prosecutors said Coppola plotted the killings “in excruciating detail” in a typewritten note police found in his home, even planning to kill the lawyers involved in his contentious divorce, Newsday reports.
Coppola pleaded not guilty at his arraignment and defense lawyer Jason Cohen asked that his client be placed on suicide watch.
Assistant District Attorney Eric Aboulafia said at the arraignment that Coppola texted his teenage daughter to come out of the house shortly before midnight Wednesday.
Coppola then shot through the lock on the front door, went upstairs and shot Pohlman and Kelly Coppola dead, Aboulafia said.
“He put a premeditated plan into action,” the prosecutor said, while his daughter waited in the car.
Coppola then drove the teen to his own home a short distance away and threatened to kill himself, the prosecutor said.
The teenager called 911 and police responded to Coppola’s home, where he was recorded on an officer’s body camera admitting to the killings, Aboulafia said.
Police searched Coppola’s home and found a semiautomatic pistol along with a planning document “describing in excruciating detail” what he planned to do, Aboulafia said.
Coppola blamed his financial woes on his ex-wife “in an attempt to legitimize his actions,” the prosecutor said.
“The letter states that he had a bullet with the names of each of the attorneys involved in the case,” Aboulafia said. “He even had a bullet for his own attorney.”
Included in the letter, Coppola wrote: “I am of sound mind and I know exactly what I am going to do.”
veryGood! (4)
Related
- Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
- Tech's crackdown on Russian propaganda is a geopolitical high-wire act
- Jennifer Lopez Just Launched a Dazzling Exclusive Shoe Collection With Revolve
- King Charles III coronation guest list: Who's invited and who's stuck at home?
- Krispy Kreme offers a free dozen Grinch green doughnuts: When to get the deal
- The EU will require all cellphones to have the same type of charging port
- Clubhouse says it won't be attending SXSW 2022 because of Texas' trans rights
- Transcript: Rep. Tony Gonzales on Face the Nation, April 30, 2023
- Nevada attorney general revives 2020 fake electors case
- Elon Musk denies a report accusing him of sexual misconduct on a SpaceX jet
Ranking
- Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump
- Deepfake video of Zelenskyy could be 'tip of the iceberg' in info war, experts warn
- Aubrey O'Day Reflects on Miscarriage Journey in New Song Unborn Love
- Sperm donor father of at least 550 kids banned from donating any more sperm
- Most popular books of the week: See what topped USA TODAY's bestselling books list
- Russian missile strikes hit Ukrainian city of Odesa, killing at least 1 and damaging historic cathedral
- Zelenskyy sees opportunity in China's offer to mediate with Russia, but stresses territorial integrity
- Demi Lovato Investigates Impact of Child Stardom in Directorial Debut
Recommendation
Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
Details of Kyle Chrisley’s Alleged Assault Incident Revealed
New York attorney general launches probe of Twitch and Discord after Buffalo shooting
Second convoy of U.S. citizens fleeing Khartoum arrives at Port Sudan
Average rate on 30
Amazon's Alexa could soon speak in a dead relative's voice, making some feel uneasy
The Fate of Days of Our Lives Revealed
Jennifer Lopez Just Launched a Dazzling Exclusive Shoe Collection With Revolve