An 80-year-old pensioner allegedly walked into his neighbour’s house and shot dead an 11-year-old girl – before admitting he’d already killed his wife at home. Reuben Leonard, from South Carolina, is accused of murdering his neighbour’s granddaughter Ashly McFarland after he entered their home with an assault rifle on April 16, just before 11pm, and opening fire on a number of people.
Ashly was shot and killed in the gunfire, according to police. The young girl’s dad was also shot while trying to disarm the shooter, a GoFundMe for the family claims. Police were immediately called to the home along with paramedics but Ashly was tragically pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers arrested the pensioner but during questioning were stunned to find he admitted to having murdered his wife, 76-year-old Felicia Leonard, according to police.
Sumter Police Department carried out a welfare check on Leonard’s home and discovered his wife dead in their garage from an apparent gunshot wound. Leonard’s motive for the alleged murder of his wife was not clear. He was not suffering from dementia or any mental illness, police said.
Authorities believe the motive behind the neighbours shooting may have been down to tensions due to them practice target shooting in their garden, which is legal under state law.
Leonard had informed police on multiple occasions to express his unhappiness at his neighbours actions, according to police.
“This is a horrific incident, and our investigators are working diligently to uncover all the details,” said Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis..
Court records showed Leonard had been arrested just two days before the shooting on a breach of peace count.
Meanwhile, tributes were paid to Ashly by Sumter School District, who released a heartbreaking statement: “She was a bright and joyful student who made a lasting impact on her classmates, teachers, and school community.
“Her passing is a heartbreaking loss, and our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with her family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”
Leonard has been charged with two counts of murder and seven counts of attempted murder.
The shocking incident comes after a wife allegedly chopped her husband in half and stuffed both pieces into a suitcase – with the help of her lover, who is also her nephew. The body of Naushad Ahmed, 38, was discovered on Sunday morning by a farmer in a field in Deoria, India.
The victim, who had just returned from Dubai ten days earlier, was found dumped in a field after Jitendra Giri noticed a strange shopping trolley containing a suitcase. He immediately contacted police and the area was cordoned off. Forensics and sniffer dogs were dispatched to the scene.
Police spokesperson Arvind Verma said: “When the bag was opened, police found a male torso wrapped inside. The lower half of the body had been stuffed into a sack. A foreign SIM card, photocopied documents, and a travel barcode bearing an airport tag helped confirm the deceased’s identity as Nuashad Ahmed..’
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