Ohio Boy, 12, Shoots Mom's Fiance, Calls 911

Mom: "He shot him again...because he said, I don't think he's dead."

ByABC News
April 27, 2011, 3:00 PM

April 27, 2011 — -- A 12-year-old boy faces murder charges after he and his mother made an emotional call to 911, telling the operator that the boy had shot his mother's fiancé.

Jeffrey Reece, 38, died Saturday after being shot at least once behind the ear with a .22 caliber rifle by the son of Wendy Boleware. The boy then called 911 after midnight on Saturday.

"I'm 12 years old. I just shot my step daddy. He was threatening me and my mom," said the blonde 12-year-old in the 911 call.

Wendy Boleware, 33, told the dispatcher that her son shot Reece twice.

"He shot him and then when he shot him again...because he said, I don't think he's dead," said Boleware.

On the 911 call, the boy can be heard comforting his sobbing mother who is screaming.

"Oh my God! Oh my God!" said Wendy Boleware in the 911 call. "I can't believe this. What's going to happen to my son?"

The boy can be heard telling his mother over the 911 call, "He was threatening us. Nothing's going to happen."

Boleware told the dispatcher that Reece told both her and their son that their life was in danger.

"He said, y'all need to get the F out of here," said Boleware in the 911 call. "I can't believe this. This is my baby and my fiance."

12-Year-Old Calls 911 to Say He Shot Mom's Fiance

Police found Reece in a pool of blood at the home the couple shared. He was rushed to Grant Medical Center where he died later Saturday night. Police said that the weapon the boy used belonged to Reece.

Reece's brother, Jerry, is still unaware of the death because he is on a honeymoon in Hong Kong and no one has been able to reach him, Reece's cousin Rachelle Wilson told ABC News.com. He isn't due back until May 3. The coroner wants to release Reece's body to his brother, holding up the family's ability to plan a funeral, Wilson said.

Wilson said that the family has never seen Reece get violent.

"Jeff [Reece] was a very gentle person. He was very shy and kind. None of us in the family have ever seen him get mad or violent. He does not have a violent past," said Wilson.

Wilson said that her cousin has been married before and has a 17-year-old daughter who lives in Florida. After meeting Boleware online, Reece moved to Mississippi to be with her and her son, Wilson said. They moved to Sunbury, Ohio, about six months ago. Reece referred to the boy as a stepson, the cousin said.

"He was trying to help her. He went down to Mississippi in the first place because she had threatened to kill herself," Wilson said.

Wilson claims that Boleware suffers from mental health issues. The family has yet to talk to Boleware since the shooting.

"None of us have been in contact with her... She will not return any messages. Nobody knows where she's staying," Wilson said.

Calls to Boleware by ABC News were not returned.

Boleware and Reece worked out of his home, selling products on an online trading site.

"I honestly feel like he was trying to do the best thing for her... I don't know who initiated the fight. I just know there was a very intense argument," she said.

Reece's family would like the middle school aged boy to be charged as an adult, but Ohio law forbids anyone under 14 from being tried as an adult.

Wilson was in the courtroom when the boy was charged on Monday.

"He did not say anything. When he walked into the courtroom, she [Boleware] let out a couple sobs. He did not look over at her and when he got up and walked away, he again did not look at her," Wilson said.

The boy's attorney, Michael Cox, would not comment on the case at this time.