Kelly Coppola/Facebook, Daniel Coppola, NMLS #36622/Facebook
A New York man, Daniel Coppola, stands accused of the premeditated murder of his ex-wife and her new boyfriend, a crime that authorities say he meticulously planned. The horrific incident unfolded in the quiet Long Island hamlet of St. James on Wednesday, leaving the community in shock.
Coppola, 50, allegedly texted his 15-year-old daughter late that night, instructing her to leave the house and wait for him in his car. Moments later, Coppola forced his way into the home by shooting through the front door lock. Once inside, he went upstairs and fatally shot his ex-wife, Kelly Coppola, 50, and her boyfriend, Kenneth Pohlman Jr., 53, according to Suffolk County prosecutors, Newsday reports.
“He put a premeditated plan into action,” Assistant District Attorney Eric Aboulafia stated during Coppola’s arraignment, emphasizing the calculated nature of the crime. All the while, Coppola’s daughter waited outside, unaware of the violence taking place within the home.
Following the murders, Coppola drove his daughter to his own home nearby, where he reportedly threatened to take his own life. The teenager, terrified and desperate, called 911. When police arrived at Coppola’s residence, they found him and, according to Aboulafia, captured his confession on an officer’s body camera.
During their search of Coppola’s home, police uncovered a semiautomatic pistol and a chilling typewritten document detailing his plans. The note, described as containing “excruciating detail,” outlined Coppola’s intent to kill not only his ex-wife and her boyfriend but also the attorneys involved in his contentious divorce proceedings, the New York Post reported.
In the letter, Coppola reportedly wrote, “I am of sound mind and I know exactly what I am going to do,” a statement that underscored the premeditated nature of his actions. The note also revealed that Coppola blamed his financial troubles on his ex-wife, attempting to justify his murderous intent.
Aboulafia shared that the letter included a list of targets, stating that Coppola had “a bullet with the names of each of the attorneys involved in the case,” even reserving one for his own attorney.
Coppola pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder at his arraignment. His defense attorney, Jason Cohen, requested that his client be placed on suicide watch, given the dire circumstances and Coppola’s mental state following the murders. As the legal process unfolds, the community and Coppola’s family are left grappling with the devastating aftermath of a crime that was as calculated as it was tragic.
