An Alabama man accused of killing his elderly grandmother and aunt with a chainsaw was removed from a courtroom after making a disturbing two-word remark during his first appearance before a judge.
Thomas Henry Steele, 47, of Mobile, is facing two counts of capital murder in the deaths of his grandmother, Dora Boone, 85, and his aunt, Christy DeLoach, 65.
The women were found dead inside their home on Monday, October 12, just hours after a concerned relative contacted emergency services seeking advice about Steele’s increasingly unusual behavior.
The following day, Steele appeared in court for a bond hearing, where his behavior quickly drew attention.
According to local news reports, when the judge appointed a public defender to represent him, Steele initially responded, “No.”
After a brief pause, he reportedly said, “Kill him.”
The unexpected remark prompted the judge to order Steele removed from the courtroom. Some local reporting differed on his exact words, but witnesses agreed that he made a disturbing statement shortly after an attorney was appointed.
The judge denied bond on both capital murder charges and ordered a mental competency evaluation.
The allegations stem from a disturbing discovery at a residence in the 2400 block of Carolina Court in Mobile.
According to the Mobile Police Department, officers responded to the home around 1:36 p.m. on October 12 after receiving a report concerning two deaths.
Inside, they discovered the bodies of Boone and DeLoach.
Investigators detained Steele at the scene and later determined that the two women had suffered fatal injuries involving a bladed instrument.
Court documents subsequently alleged that Steele used a chainsaw in the killings.
Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood confirmed that Steele had been living at the residence with his grandmother and aunt.
Investigators have not publicly established a motive.
However, newly released details about a 911 call made earlier that day have raised questions about the hours leading up to the deaths.
Shortly before 11 a.m., a woman contacted emergency dispatchers to express concern about her nephew, whom she identified as Steele.
According to transcripts obtained by FOX10 News, the caller said Steele had stopped taking lithium, a medication commonly prescribed for bipolar disorder, and had begun behaving in ways she found troubling.
She described him giving away personal belongings, including his phone and vehicle, and making statements about abandoning electronics to devote his life to God.
The caller also reported that Steele had bipolar disorder and said she had previously contacted the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline for advice.
Despite her concerns, she told the dispatcher that Steele appeared calm and was not acting violently at the time.
The dispatcher provided contact information for the police department before ending the call.
Authorities have not established precisely when the killings occurred or whether any intervention took place between that call and the discovery of the victims.
The reported mental health concerns are now part of the broader circumstances surrounding the case, although no medical condition has been established as the cause of the alleged violence. Having bipolar disorder does not, by itself, indicate that someone is violent.
Following Steele’s courtroom appearance, Blackwood confirmed that the judge had ordered an evaluation through the Alabama Department of Mental Health to determine whether Steele is competent to stand trial.
That determination concerns whether a defendant can understand the legal proceedings and assist in his own defense. It is separate from any evaluation of his mental state at the time of the alleged offenses.
The case took another turn Friday, October 16, when Circuit Judge S. Wesley Pipes ordered Steele to undergo an emergency inpatient mental health evaluation.
According to court records reported by FOX10, the judge determined that Steele’s condition had deteriorated since the initial competency order and that an outpatient examination was no longer sufficient.
The new order requires Steele to be transferred to the Alabama Department of Mental Health for treatment and evaluation by October 20.
Meanwhile, loved ones are mourning Boone and DeLoach.
DeLoach’s friends and coworkers remembered her as a devoted woman of faith who had worked for nearly two decades at Mr. Sam’s Hair Fashion in Mobile.
Those who knew her described a dependable, caring woman whose death has left family members and friends devastated.
Steele remains charged with two counts of capital murder. His mental competency evaluation will help determine how the criminal proceedings move forward.
