Man Fatally Shoots Ex-Wife and Her New Partner in New York, Then Tells Daughter Her Mother is Dead
A tragic incident unfolded on Wednesday, August 28, when a man fatally shot his ex-wife and her new partner inside their Long Island home before telling his daughter that her mother was dead, according to police and family members.
Daniel Coppola, 50, allegedly forced his way into the million-dollar home by shooting through the front door and then shot the couple—Kelly Coppola, 50, and Kenneth Pohlman, 53—while they were asleep, law enforcement sources and Pohlman’s family reported.
Before the shooting, Coppola instructed his daughter to stay in his car outside the residence on Brasswood Road. According to Pohlman’s grieving father, Kenneth Pohlman Sr., “He left her in the car, went behind the bush… broke down the door, went upstairs, and did what he did.” Afterward, he returned to the car and told his daughter, “I killed your mother and Kenny.”
Coppola fled the scene, leaving his shocked teenage daughter—whom he shared with his ex-wife—to reach out to friends, according to Detective Lt. Kevin Breyer. As they drove away, she texted her friends, saying, “I don’t know what my father did. I don’t know how my mother is.” Her friends, unable to reach her mother, called 911.
Daniel Coppola was later arrested at his home in St. James, about a mile away from the crime scene. Police reported that he is undergoing a mental evaluation after making suicidal statements. He has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder by the Suffolk County Police Department.
The tragic event occurred roughly a year or two after the former couple finalized their divorce, which was reportedly contentious, according to Breyer. While there was no order of protection against Coppola, police had previously responded to a non-criminal dispute between the couple during their marriage.
Pohlman’s family described Coppola as an abusive “maniac,” with Pohlman’s brother, Tom Pohlman, telling reporters, “From what she would say, he abused her.” Kenneth Pohlman had met Kelly after losing his wife to cancer several years ago, and the couple shared the six-bedroom, four-bath, $1.1 million home.
Reflecting on the tragedy, Pohlman’s family struggled to comprehend the violence, with one family member asking, “How do you wrap your head around it?”