SUNRISE, FLA. (WSVN) - Police have released the 911 call, Tuesday, of a man who confessed to killing his wife and stepdaughter at his Sunrise home.
Investigators said 15-year-old Shanice Smith and her mother, 40-year-old Karen Lyle, were found dead inside a townhouse, located inside Del Rio Village, near University Drive, Monday.
The audio recording included 32-year-old Kevin Nelson’s confession after the double shooting.
“Sir, did you see the person with the gun,” asked the 911 operator.
“I’m the person with the gun,” said Nelson.
Officers responded to the townhouse and tried to establish contact with Nelson. “We made contact with a male inside via phone who advised, ‘Yeah, I’m in here,’ and hung up the phone on us,” said Sunrise Police Officer Michelle Eddy.
According to a police report, he told negotiators, “I hurt people. I’m a failure,” and, “I’m going to prison forever.”
Detectives believe Nelson shot the victims on Friday because a neighbor heard as many as seven gunshots coming from the townhouse. The neighbor, Allen Greene, said he heard several shots that night.
“It was a quick succession, ‘boom, boom, boom, boom, boom,'” Greene said. “It was enough for me, for my instincts to kick in.”
Greene’s instincts were honed in the Marine Corps.
“I thought that something really bad was going down,” Greene said. “You know, I thought about it. I said, ‘Wow, he must have really just snapped,’ because he didn’t seem the type of guy that would do something like that.”
Greene said he didn’t call 911 because he couldn’t tell where the gunshots came from.
The police report also states that Nelson was “filled with rage and wanted revenge,” which led to him shooting Smith and Lyle. Police said Nelson sent several text messages to friends about his suspicion that his wife was cheating and lying.
“Again, shots fired,” said Nelson to the 911 operator.
“How many shots were fired?” asked the operator.
“Several shots,” replied Nelson.
“Several shots? Did you hear them or did you see somebody with a gun,” the operator said. “Sir, did you hear them or did you see somebody with a gun?”
“Yes, I did,” said Nelson.
The 911 operator asked once more, “Sir, did you see the person with the gun?”
“I’m the person with the gun,” said Nelson.
When the operator asked if anybody got shot, Nelson answered, “Yes. Karen Lyle and Shanice Smith.”
“Where are they now?” asked the operator.
Nelson replied with one word: “Dead.”
The suspect negotiated with police for nearly five hours. Nelson walked out with his hands up at 3:30 p.m., Monday.
Upon entering the house, police found Smith dead at the top of the staircase with a gunshot wound through her left cheek. Lyle was found dead inside of a bedroom with a gunshot wound to her forehead.
According to the report, Nelson had covered both bodies with blankets and called 911.
Smith was a student at Piper High School in Sunrise. Her grandfather, Courtney Smith, described his granddaughter was a model student. She was an ‘A’ student. She had a bright future ahead of her,” he said.
Now, family members are left to clean up and wonder what could have led to the violent acts, and whether they could have done anything to avoid the tragic outcome.
Courtney Smith said he had suspected something wasn’t right with Nelson. “I kind of suspected something, and I wanted to talk to her, because I didn’t know anything about this guy,” he said.
“She was, like, a quiet person, but she was really loving and bubbly,” said Trevor Wilson, one of her classmates.
Wilson, who came by the townhouse to leave flowers, Tuesday afternoon, said he was deeply affected by news of her death. “I think it’s horrible that someone could take out all their violence on two innocent people,” he said.
Piper High students released balloons on Tuesday after learning Smith had been murdered. Crisis counselors were available to meet with students.
Nelson appeared in court for his first hearing, Tuesday afternoon. He was charged with two counts of murder and is being held without bond at the Broward County Jail.
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