DAYTON — The police investigation into the Sunday night shooting on Fieldstone Drive that left a mother and 8-year-old son dead is continuing, as family and a friend are suggesting that mental illness is to blame.
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Dayton homicide detectives have not given any updates to this news organization, News Center 7′s Mike Campbell reported.
But James Combs, father of 8-year-old Nolan Combs, has told News Center 7 he understands his ex-wife, 34-year-old Melissa Hensley, shot the child and herself in a murder-suicide.
“Of course she had mental health issues,” Combs said.
Wednesday, a friend of Hensley told News Center 7 that Hensley is not a monster but may have committed an act that some think is monstrous.
The friend, Jerri Mottor, said, “That was not her, that was not Melissa that did that to that little boy,” Mottor said. “That was not Melissa, that was mental illness at its finest.”
Mottor, who once lived on Fieldstone Drive near Hensley, said the woman did her best with Nolan.
“That little boy was her life and soul. Anything he wanted, she gave it to him. He could go lay beside her, she would cuddle with him. He was her baby,” Mottor said, noting she believes Hensley may have had some struggles.
Combs has told News Center 7 he recognized Hensley’s problems and struggles and tried to get custody of Nolan. He is claiming Montgomery County domestic and juvenile court systems did not allow him to gain custody.
Combs said he believes all of that put his son in danger.
“There was loaded weapons in this home, unlocked, unsafe, unsecured and now my son’s dead, shot with one of them,” Combs said.
He called Hensley’s actions Sunday night pure evil.
But Mottor said she believes the woman was just sick and believes this incident should change society’s priorities.
“Why don’t we have as much funding for mental health as we do for the prison system?” she asked.
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