Daughter of killer,11, escapes Gardendale shooting rampage that left 3 dead

From Tribune staff reports

The young daughter of a triple murder suspect escaped the shooting rampage that left three relatives dead Wednesday morning in Gardendale. However the 11-year-old was still victimized by the killer, her own father, killed her mother, aunt and uncle. )

Bonnie Reeves Foshee

The shootings by Kenneth Lever, 52, who killed himself in Escambia County, Fla Wednesday afternoon as lawmen closed in, resulted in a manhunt throughout the state Wednesday morning.

Lever’s victims: were his ex-wife Dana Lever, 50; her sister, Bonnie Reeves Foshee, 65; and her brother-in-law, Don Foshee, 69. They were killed at 4172 Willow Bend Drive in Gardendale’s Peachtree Crossings community as they loaded a vehicle in preparation to travel to Chicago for the Navy boot camp graduation of Dana’s son. As they prepared for their drive, Kenneth reportedly emerged from his hiding place in a nearby shed.

The shootings all took place outside Dana’s home, authorities say.

According to a report from Carol Robinson, the Lever’s daughter ran to a neighbor’s home for help after realizing what was taking place.

That account also states that Kenneth Lever drove a red Nissan he rented in Pensacola to a community pool, walked to his ex-wife’s house then drove the vehicle of one of his victim’s to return to the rental car that he drove back to Florida.

Lever killed himself at the Navy Federal Credit Union’s call center on West Nine Mile Road near I-10 after an Escambia Sheriff’s deputy spotted him.

Authorities have placed the girl who lost both her parents Wednesday with other family members.

Police remain uncertain what prompted the killings. However, the protective from abuse order issues against Lever in December offers a clue that this was a domestic-related crime.

Dana Lever reportedly claimed her ex was abusing her 11-year-old daughter during unsupervised visitation with her father.

According to that protection request and other public records, Lever has charges pending in Pennsylvania for sexual abuse with a minor believed to be a 5-year-old neighbor.

In separate sexual assault cases, Kenneth Lever was charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, aggravated indecent assault of a child, indecent assault person less than 13 years of age, corruption of minors, and distribution of explicit sexual material of a minor.