Police: Man accused of killing 3 in Ohio was hearing voices

Published August 23, 2016

A man accused of fatally shooting three people was hearing voices when he showed up at a behavioral health care facility the day of the Ohio shootings, according to public documents.

A field interview card filled out by police described Muhammad S. Ali as "damaging property and threatening staff during mental breakdown" at the Dayton facility on Aug. 10 before police took him to a hospital for a mental evaluation, the Dayton Daily News reported. Police say later that day the 61-year-old man went to a Dayton home where he is accused of fatally shooting Michael Cox, 25, Jasper Taylor, 74, and Tammy Cox, 53.

Police have not publicly released information on the relationship between Ali and the people who were killed, or commented on a motive. Authorities said the investigation was continuing.

Ali is charged with 28 counts, including several charges of aggravated murder, murder and felonious assault, among others. He is being held in jail, with bond set at $1 million, a jail official said Tuesday.

The Dayton man's case has been bound over to Montgomery Common Pleas Court, where a grand jury is expected to consider charges, a court official said Tuesday. No court dates had been set.

Ali's attorney, Michael Pentecost said he was just starting on the case and had no immediate comment, other than to say that he will be looking into Ali's mental health history.

Ali's son, Lazarus Burdette, told the Dayton newspaper that his father has had mental illness for a long time and should have received help at the facilities that saw him the day of the shootings.

"He was crying for his medicine, Burdette told the newspaper. "He was crying out for help. Somebody should have helped him."

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/us/police-man-accused-of-killing-3-in-ohio-was-hearing-voices