The jealous ex who ambushed and murdered his ex-wife and her boyfriend at their Long Island mansion last week tried to commit suicide in jail on Monday.
Daniel Coppola, 50, fell down a flight of stairs at the Suffolk County Correctional Facility in Riverhead on Monday while attempting to end his own life. News Day reported.
Coppola was taken to a hospital in Riverhead.
The severity of his injuries is not yet clear, but sources told DailyMail.com he may be paralysed from the neck down.
Coppola was charged Friday with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the brutal killings of his ex-wife, Kelly Coppola, 50, and friend, Kenneth Pohlman, 53, at his St. James home on Aug. 28.
Daniel Coppola, pictured, shot the happy couple in a fit of rage, prosecutors said
Kelly Coppola, 50, and her boyfriend, Kenneth Pohlman, 53
Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Vicki DiStefano did not identify the inmate by name but confirmed in a statement to DailyMail.com on Wednesday that “an inmate was injured in a self-inflicted incident.”
‘Corrections Officers responded quickly and appropriately to get him the medical treatment he needed. He was transported to a local hospital.
She added that “the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office cannot comment further on the medical conditions or status of the inmates.”
Coppola’s second court appearance was Tuesday in First District Court in Central Islip. He did not attend, but a grand jury indicted him.
The second-degree murder charge will be upgraded to first-degree murder by Suffolk Superior Court Judge Anthony Senft during his arraignment Friday in Riverhead, court records show.
The Suffolk County Correctional Facility is where Coppola attempted suicide on Monday
Daniel Coppola is pictured with his ex-wife Kelly. A friend called the couple ‘high school sweethearts’
Kenny, pictured, was “soul mates” with Kelly, his father said at his funeral
Coppola’s attorney David Jason Cohen did not respond to DailyMail.com’s request for comment.
Although he would not confirm the suicide attempt, Cohen said The New York Post in a statement that “everything about this case is tragic.”
“My condolences go out to everyone affected by the many tragedies here and I hope the families and loved ones of all involved can find some peace,” Cohen said.
Kelly and her boyfriend Kenny were shot dead in their St. James home shortly before midnight on Wednesday night.
According to police, Coppola called his 15-year-old daughter, who was in the house with her mother, to warn her to leave the house.
“The daughter was in the house and he reached out to her and told her to get out of the house,” Detective Lt. Kevin Breyer said at a news conference Thursday.
He picked the girl up, put her in his car, committed the murders, drove her away… While he was driving her, she was texting friends and saying, “I don’t know what my dad did. I don’t know about my mom.”
“They’re trying to get in touch with the mother, but they can’t. They’re calling 911,” he said.
Coppola was arrested Thursday on suspicion of two counts of murder and was reportedly being held for psychiatric evaluation after expressing suicidal thoughts.
He and his ex-wife had recently gone through a bitter divorce.
During last week’s arraignment, Assistant District Attorney Eric Aboulafia said detectives found a typed letter in Coppola’s home that detailed his plans “in meticulous detail” and clearly showed his “murderous rage.”
In the letter, he blamed his ex-wife for his financial problems and said he planned to kill the lawyers involved in the divorce, including his own, shooting them all with bullets.
Kenny had three children and Kelly had a daughter whom she shared with Daniel Coppola
Kenneth and Kelly lived in this $1.1 million, six-bedroom, four-bathroom home in affluent Suffolk County
A friend who went to high school with the couple – Sachem High School – told DailyMail.com “they were in love in high school.”
She asked not to be named, but said: “Danny and Kelly were both really nice people.” She added: “And this is all very shocking.”
