The jealous ex who ambushed and then executed his ex-wife and her boyfriend at their Long Island mansion last week tried to kill himself in jail on Monday.
David Coppola, 50, fell on a set of stairs at the Suffolk County Correctional Facility in Riverhead on Monday during the attempt to end his own life, Newsday reported.
Coppola was transported to a hospital in Riverhead.
It remains unclear the extent of his injuries but sources told DailyMail.com that Coppola may be paralyzed from the neck down.
Coppola was charged with two counts of second-degree murder on Friday in the brutal slaying of his former wife, Kelly Coppola, 50 and boyfriend, Kenneth Pohlman, 53, at his St. James home on August 28.
Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Vicki DiStefano did not identify the inmate, but said in a statement to DailyMail.com on Wednesday confirming that ‘an inmate was injured during a self-inflicted incident.’
‘Correction Officers responded quickly and appropriately to get him the medical treatment he needed. He was transported to a local hospital.
She added that ‘the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office is unable to comment further on any incarcerated individual’s medical conditions or status.’
Coppola’s second court appearance was on Tuesday at First District Court in Central Islip. He was not present but, a grand jury indicted him.
His second-degree murder charges will be upgraded to first-degree by Suffolk Supreme Court Justice Anthony Senft during his arraignment on Friday in Riverhead, as per court records.
Coppola’s defense attorney David Jason Cohen did not respond to DailyMail.com’s request for comment.
Though he would not confirm the suicide attempt, Cohen told The New York Post in a statement that ‘everything about this case is tragic.’
‘My heart goes out to all those affected by the multiple tragedies here and may the families and loved ones of all those involved find some peace,’ Cohen said.
Kelly and her boyfriend Kenny, were gunned down shortly before midnight in their St. James home late Wednesday night.
Police allege Coppola made a call to his 15-year-old daughter, who was inside the home with her mom, to warn her to get out of the house.
‘The daughter was in the house and he reached out to her and told her to get out of the house,’ Detective Lt. Kevin Breyer said at a Thursday press conference.
He picked the girl up, put her in his car, committed the murders, drove her from there… As he’s driving her, she’s communicating with friends via text saying, “I don’t know what my father did. I don’t know how my mother is.”
‘They try to reach out to the mother, can’t get in touch with the mother, they call 911,’ he said.
Coppola was arrested on Thursday on two murder charges and was reportedly being held for mental evaluation after making suicidal statements.
He and his ex-wife had recently gone through a bitter divorce.
At last week’s arraignment, Assistant District Attorney Eric Aboulafia said investigators found a typewritten letter in Coppola’s home detailing his plan in ‘excruciating detail’ that clearly showed his ‘homicidal rage.’
In the letter, he blamed his ex-wife for his financial woes and said he also planned to kill the attorneys involved in their divorce, including his own – with bullets marked for each.
A friend who went to high school – Sachem High School – with the couple told DailyMail.com ‘they were high school sweethearts.’
She asked that her name not be used. but said ‘both Danny and Kelly were very sweet people.’ She added, ‘and this is all too shocking.’