... [Belmont County Sheriff Fred] Thompson said Bonnie Koci was found with a "fanny pack" slung over her shoulder and a suitcase near her body. The sheriff said he believes Bonnie Koci was leaving her home when she was murdered...[From today's obituary] KOCI, Bonnie I., 68, of Bethesda, Ohio died Thursday, July 23, 2009 at her home. She was born July 20, 1941... Bonnie was a retired teacher, a member of the Belmont United Methodist Church, the Retired Teachers Association, the Order of the Eastern Star, and the Celtic Society of Wheeling. In addition to her father, she was preceded in death by her husband Frank, and a grandson, Preston Taylor...
...Bethesda Police Chief Tim Zdanski said Frank Koci worked as a part-time police officer in the department until about 18 months ago. He said Frank Koci had been on medical leave since that time... he was hoping to come back...[From today's obituary] KOCI, Franklin E., 68, of Bethesda, Ohio died Thursday, July 23, 2009 at his home. He was born Feb. 8, 1941... Frank was a retired teacher, a member of the Belmont United Methodist Church and the Bethesda Police Department. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Bonnie Hennessey Koci; and a grandson, Preston Taylor...
Visitation is Tuesday at 10 a.m., memorial service at 11 a.m., and memorial contributions may be made to Belmont United Methodist Church, 129 West Market St., Belmont, OH 43718.
Video: After deputies left, Officer Koci killed his wife Bonnie and himselfSHERIFF INVESTIGATES APPARENT MURDER-SUICIDE
Deputies Had Responded To Scene Prior To Discovery Of Bodies
WTOV9
July 23, 2009
Updated: July 24, 2009
[Excerpts] A Bethesda man and his wife are dead after an apparent murder-suicide at their home... Sheriff's deputies remained on the scene along Noon Road late into the evening. [Belmont County Sheriff Fred]Thompson said it appears the husband shot the wife before shooting himself. Deputies had responded to a domestic violence call at the home earlier in the evening, Thompson said. Thompson said those officers left once the couple had calmed down. Less than an hour later, a relative went to the couple's home and found both dead, Thompson said... [Full article here]
COUPLE FOUND DEAD
Police believe husband shot wife, killed self
Times Leader
POSTED: July 24, 2009
[Excerpts] ...Belmont County Sheriff Fred Thompson identified the couple as Frank and Bonnie Koci. He said they both were 68-years-old... Thompson said the Belmont County coroner was called to the scene. He said the bodies were taken to the Kelly-Kemp-Braido Funeral Home in Bethesda. [Full article here]
RETIRED KINDERGARTEN TEACHER, HUSBAND KILLED IN APPARENT MURDER-SUICIDE
WTOV9
July 24, 2009
[Excerpts] A retired kindergarten teacher and her husband - a former school administrator - are dead after an apparent murder-suicide in Belmont County. Police said they believed Frank Koci shot and killed his wife, Bonnie, at their home on Noon Road near Bethesda, then turned the gun on himself. Most recently, Bonnie Koci taught kindergarten in the Union Local School District. Frank Koci was best-known for being an administrator in Barnesville. He retired two years ago, investigators said. Police said they went to the Kocis' home Thursday evening. They said the couple started arguing while they were on the phone with their daughter. Their daughter called 911, and sheriff's deputies responded to what they called a domestic situation. Authorities said the couple had stopped fighting by the time law enforcement arrived. The deputies then left the home. About an hour later, a family member found the couple dead... [Full article here]
...Deputies were called to the Koci's home by their daughter. The fatal gunshots were fired a short time after deputies departed...
BETHESDA SCENE OF MURDER-SUICIDE
The Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register
By GABE WELLS
POSTED: July 24, 2009
[Excerpts] Belmont County Sheriff Fred Thompson said Bonnie Koci was leaving her Bethesda home Thursday night following an argument with her husband Frank when her husband shot her in the chest and then fired a single shot into his own head... Thompson said the bodies were discovered by a family member. Belmont County deputies were called to the Koci's Noon Road home at about 5:30 p.m. Thursday after receiving a report of the couple arguing. Thompson said deputies calmed the two and remained at the home until about 6 p.m. He said the fatal gunshots were fired a short time after deputies departed. Thompson said Bonnie Koci was found with a "fanny pack" slung over her shoulder and a suitcase near her body. The sheriff said he believes Bonnie Koci was leaving her home when she was murdered. Thompson said the weapon used in the killings was a semi-automatic handgun. Thompson said the initial argument that prompted the deputies' response was witnessed by at least two of the couple's young grandchildren. He said the children were picked up by their father while the deputies were still at the scene.... "The deputy told them to calm down and take it easy - regroup. He got them calm, and they were being civil with each other"... [Full article here]
Video: Bonnie Koci was packed to go but never made it out the doorGUNMAN IN APPARENT MURDER-SUICIDE WAS FORMER SPECIAL ED TEACHER, PART-TIME POLICE OFFICER
WTOV9
July 24, 2009
[Excerpts] The gunman who police believe was behind an apparent murder-suicide was a part-time police officer and former school administrator who worked with special-education students... Most recently, Bonnie Koci taught kindergarten in the Union Local School District. Frank Koci was a school administrator in Barnesville and Union Local. He retired two years ago and served as a part-time police officer in Bethesda, investigators said... Sheriff Fred Thompson said both victims were found in the living room with had single gunshot wounds. Thompson said it appears both died instantly. The sheriff said Bonnie Koci apparently had packed her bags to leave when she was shot and killed. A suitcase was found near her body. Thompson said a semiautomatic handgun lay at Frank Koci's feet... [Full article here]TWO DEAD FOLLOWING DOMESTIC INCIDENT
By Mike Hughes
Times Leader
July 25, 2009
[Excerpts] Authorities are still investigating the apparent murder-suicide of Bethesda residents Frank and Bonnie Koci on Thursday evening. Belmont County Sheriff Fred Thompson said that sheriff's deputies responded to a call of a domestic incident at the Koci's Noon Road location at approximately 5:30 p.m. They interviewed both Frank and Bonnie Koci and after accessing the seemingly calm situation, left without making any arrests because no charges were filed... Events escalated quickly from the time sheriff's deputies left to the time the office received a call about the shooting, but as Thompson explained, his deputies were unable to detain either party after the conclusion of their initial interviews. "The deputies talked to both of the Kocis and neither one of them indicated there was any kind of physical assault," Thompson said. "In order for the deputy to make an arrest, there has to be an indication of an assault, threat of an assault or some type of injuries... Mr. Koci answered the door and kind of wondered why we were there," Thompson said. While Ohio does have a Preferred Arrest Policy, the detainee of one or more of the alleged parties is not mandatory... Thompson also said the couple had no prior history of domestic issues. Frank Koci is reported to have used a semi-automatic 9 millimeter handgun... Thompson said that while deputies were on scene, they noticed a small collections of guns in a gun cabinet, but that the cabinet was locked and the handgun in question was not seen out in the open... "There wasn't any brandishing or mention of the murder weapon by either party during the deputies interviews," Thompson said. The sheriff said two of the couple's grandchildren were witness to the original argument that brought about the first call. The children's father came to pick them up while deputies were questioning the Koci's, but even he didn't mention that anything was out of the ordinary. "The son-in-law came to pick up the children, but he didn't mention anything to the contrary to the officers that something wasn't right," Thompson said... [Full article here]
WIFE WAS TRYING TO LEAVE WHEN SHOT
The Intelligencer, Wheeling News-Register
By GABE WELLS
July 25, 2009
[Excerpts] ...Bethesda police Chief Tim Zdanski said Frank Koci worked as a part-time police officer in the department until about 18 months ago. He said Frank Koci had been on medical leave since that time. Zdanski said Frank Koci was retired from a career in education. He served as a principal in the Barnesville school district and also worked in the Union Local school district. "He wanted to be a policeman because he wanted to continue helping people after he got out of the school system," he said. "Frank retired from Barnesville, and he came to me and said he wanted to be a policeman. He went to the East Ohio Law Enforcement Academy, and he was an excellent, part-time officer. He was on medical leave, but he was hoping to come back and help out"... [Full article here]
Video:[OH] Police Officer Koci kills wife Bonnie and himself
[police officer involved domestic violence law enforcement fatality fatalities murder suicide privledge divorce lethal ohio funeral]
Nobody who knew Frank Koci would ever have seen this coming. He was the principal of my school and was a kind and gentle person. This is an awful thing.
ReplyDeleteyes they were gentle people. but there is more to the story than what is being put out. i am the family member that they speak of. the one who found them. my family and i tried to get the sheriffs department to intervene and remove the guns from the house for years. but because my grandfather was "one of the boys" the sheriffs or the local law enforcement would do nothing. he was also highly medicated on numerous narcotics all of witch had the side effect for this behavior. there was many cases of domestic violence that they have left out. at least 6 encounters over the last 3 to 4 years. so i find that there is no excuse with those numbers. this could have been prevented but it wasn't. those people were like my mother and father and now there gone. this IS an awful thing and even worse that it could have been prevented.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry that you lost them and that no one intervened to stop the pattern of what was happening. This blog is yours and your family's if you want to use it to put the truth out there. Whether or not you do that we have to find ways to make things change so that these PREVENTABLE tragedies stop. Together we all know too much to keep losing people this way.
ReplyDeleteHUGS, and much love,
Cloud
thank you for your kind words....keep this web sitew and blog up and i will keep you posted as everything unfolds.....someone will pay....
ReplyDelete