ST. JAMES MAN INDICTED FOR MURDERING EX-WIFE AND HER BOYFRIEND

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Daniel Coppola, 50, of St. James, was indicted on four counts of Murder in the First Degree, for allegedly fatally shooting Kelly Coppola, 50, and her boyfriend Kenneth Pohlman, Jr., 53, at their home in St. James.

“The defendant allegedly drove to his ex-wife’s home and fatally shot his ex-wife and her boyfriend in cold blood,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Our office takes all allegations of domestic violence seriously and we are committed to bringing justice to Kelly Coppola, Kenneth Pohlman and their loved ones. While we cannot bring Kenneth and Kelly back, we can hold this defendant responsible for his alleged actions.”

According to the investigation, late in the evening of August 28, 2024, Coppola sent text messages to an uninvolved witness located at a residence on Brasswood Road in St. James, in order to allegedly draw the witness out of the home. When the witness went outside, Coppola allegedly asked the witness where Pohlman’s bedroom was located.

Shortly afterwards, Coppola left the witness sitting in his 2021 Toyota Tundra vehicle while he walked up to the entrance of the home. Once there, he allegedly fired a black semi-automatic handgun at the keypad and front door, then forcibly entered the residence.

Coppola then allegedly fatally shot Pohlman and Coppola at the upstairs hallway of the home then fled the scene with the uninvolved witness in his vehicle. Coppola took the witness back to his home on Harbor Road, also in St. James, approximately three miles from the scene.   Once back at Coppola’s home, the witness observed him take a black handgun and put it on his desk, all the while making suicidal threats. Shortly thereafter, the witness hid the handgun from the defendant and called 911.

When responding police officers arrived at Coppola’s home, they promptly placed him into custody for his own personal safety.  The witness at scene directed the officers to the black semi-automatic handgun that had been earlier hidden.  After further investigation, Suffolk Police were also dispatched to the Brasswood Road address, where they found visible damage to the front door that had been forced open and the couple deceased of gunshot wounds.  The investigation also found that while the defendant left the scene, he did so in haste, leaving behind his sandals, one of which was found underneath Pohlman’s body.

On September 6, 2024, Coppola was arraigned on the indictment before Acting Supreme Court Justice Anthony S. Senft, Jr., for four counts of Murder in the First Degree, Class A-I felonies.

Justice Senft ordered Coppola remanded during the pendency of the case. Coppola is due back in court on September 24, 2024, and faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted on the top count. He is being represented by John Halverson, Esq. and Steven Politi, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Eric S. Aboulafia of the Homicide Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by Detective Guido Cirenza and Suffolk County Police Department’s Homicide Squad.

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Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.

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