31 May 2011

Fort Myers shooting suspect connected to 2009 murder

 

Connell Carroll, the suspect in both murders, is still at large.  There is a number at the end of the below news article to call if you have any information.  Please disseminate far and wide and bring this guy in this time, so that no more women are killed by him... and no more children left with out a mom because of him.

A woman has died after being shot in the leg during an argument on Sunday afternoon.

Fort Myers Police responded to a home on 1400 block of Brookhill Drive just before 4:00 p.m. on Sunday to find 22-year-old Nicole Smith suffering from the gunshot wound.

EMS responders were unable to stabilize her, and she died as a result of her injury.

Neighbors say Smith was holding her newborn when she was shot.

Fort Myers Police are looking for her boyfriend, 32-year-old Connell Carroll, saying he's wanted for second degree murder.

"Our investigation has revealed that the victim, Miss Smith, and her boyfriend, Connell Carroll, had gotten into an argument and she received a gunshot wound that ultimately led to her dying," said Detective Peter Tarman.

Connell Carroll was also connected to the murder of Danielle Blackburn on February 10th, 2009.

He was never arrested.

Danielle's family says they weren't shocked when they heard the news.

"I knew it was gonna happen. I've been telling people it was going to happen," says Danielle's father Don Blackburn.

Danielle was murdered while her daughter slept in the next room.

"He took two young mothers. That's two children without a mother," Don says.

Crysten Blackburn is Danielle's sister-in-law. She had met Carroll on several occasions and says he was quiet and reserved.

"Was he the type of person who would inflict harm on women? When I met him I came to talk to Danielle and he didn't leave the room when I was speaking to Danielle. He was next to her the entire time," she says.

After Danielle's murder, police couldn't find enough evidence to arrest Carroll.

Now, after another woman is dead, Danielle's family blames the judicial system.

Darin Blackburn, Danielle's brother, claims Carroll never completed a mandatory battery course that would have helped him.

"I told police that if they didn't do something it would happen again," he says.

Neither Danielle's nor Nicole's daughters were harmed during the shootings. Both are staying with family members.

If you have any information on the whereabouts of Connell Carroll, you're asked to call the Fort Myers Police Department, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS.

Fort Myers shooting suspect connected to 2009 murder - NBC-2.com WBBH News for Fort Myers, Cape Coral & Naples, Florida