Shooting suspect is schizophrenic, sister tells police

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By Lou Grieco, Staff Writer 6:47 PM Wednesday, October 21, 2009

COLUMBUS — Daniel Neeley, accused of shooting his mother and sister on Saturday, is a “paranoid schizophrenic,” his sister told authorities minutes after the shooting, according to a recording of one of her two 911 calls.

The Dayton Daily News obtained three calls from Columbus police on Wednesday, Oct. 21. Two were from Bethany Lafountain, 25, of Beavercreek. The third came from Bethany’s husband, Christopher.

“My mom’s been shot and she can’t breathe,” Lafountain told the dispatcher.

The shootings occurred about 5 p.m. Saturday at Daniel Neeley’s residence in the city’s University District. Julie Neeley, 51, also of Beavercreek, died at Ohio State University Medical Center.

Daniel Neeley is charged with murder and felonious assault. He remains in Franklin County Jail, where he is being held on $400,000 bond.

Bethany Lafountain’s first call is mostly unintelligible, though she mentions the shootings and describes her brother’s apartment building. When a dispatcher asks for the address, the line goes dead.

“He just shot my wife and my mother-in-law,” Christopher Lafountain told dispatchers.

He said he fled to a neighbor’s property “because I saw him shooting, and if I was in there too, I wouldn’t be able to call anybody,” he said. “Please, please hurry. I’m so scared. Oh, my god, I cannot believe this is happening.”

The dispatcher asked him if anyone was arguing, and he said no. He said the gun was “probably a pistol,” and that “he just started shooting at them.”

Bethany Lafountain’s second call starts with her telling the dispatcher “my brother has shot my mom. She was unconscious.”

“You’ve been shot, too?” the dispatcher asked, and she replied “Yes.”

At one point, she addresses her mother: “Mommy, I love you. Mom, I love you.”

She then told the dispatcher that the front door is open and her brother fled on foot. She described him and told her about his mental condition.

“I’m getting very faint,” she said as police arrived.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2057 or lgrieco@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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