911 calls detail last moments of woman’s life in Kenton murder

Editor's Note: I have listened to the audio tapes. They are absolutely heart-wrenching. If ever there was a reason to abandon the "dial 911 and wait" mindset, this is it. (Note too that no one in the news media have jumped on this terrible event as a reason to ban knives.)

by Greg Sowinski

The call to 911 made by a woman who would be stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend minutes later began in a calm matter as she expressed fear but with no indication she was about to be attacked.

Teresa Nelson's call shows how quickly a situation can change and how precious life is as her life ends in front of her 8-year-old daughter and her grandmother at the hands of Justin Douglas Manns. He was struggling to deal with their breakup.

"I need a sheriff out here. I have an unwanted person and he's at my door and he will not leave and I'm scared for my life," she told the Hardin County Sheriff's dispatcher.

The dispatcher calls a deputy to go to the home about four miles outside Kenton.

The 28-year-old Nelson tells the dispatcher Manns was at her home the previous day threatening to kill himself. She said he had a knife.

"Please tell them to hurry," Nelson said.

During the call, Nelson speaks to Manns, 22, through the door telling him another person told her to call the police if he returned.

"Why?" Manns is heard asking.

Nelson told him it was because of his actions the day before.

"Your whole little knife incident yesterday," she said.

The dispatcher starts inquiring about the situation that led Manns to the door.

Nelson said she had an engagement ring from Manns and he wanted it back.

"Yesterday, he was threatening to kill himself on my front porch," she said.

Nearly four minutes into the call, the dispatcher tells Nelson there are deputies on the way.

The call seemed routine and like many others that are worked out peacefully and there’s no indication Manns is about to kick in the door.
The dispatcher asked Nelson if she wants to her to stay on the phone and Nelson said yes. Nelson then begins talking to Manns again through the door.

"I will find someone to give you your ring. You scare me. You literally scare me after you had that knife on the front porch yesterday," she said.

The dispatcher told Nelson to stop talking to him. Nelson tells her 8-year-old daughter, Kennedy, to go into another room.

Then, without notice, Manns begins kicking at the door.

"He's kicking in the door," she screams. "Grandma get down, get down. Oh my God, he's got me by the hair. Oh my God, stop, stop."

Nelson continues screaming into the phone.

"No, stop. He stabbed me, he stabbed me," she screamed

The call goes dead.

The dispatcher immediately calls back and Nelson's daughter, Kennedy, answers.

Kennedy's first words are: "Justin stabbed her."

The dispatcher tells Kennedy deputies are on the way.

Moments later that call goes dead and the dispatcher calls back.

Kennedy answers and the dispatcher asked Kennedy where her mother was stabbed. Kennedy said she did not know.

Kennedy calls out for her mom and tells the dispatcher Manns still is there. The dispatcher tells her to stay in another room.

"Don't pay attention to what's going on out there, OK? Go in a room and shut the door," she tells Kennedy.

The two calls to Kennedy last more than seven minutes with the dispatcher trying to comfort Kennedy while telling her deputies are on the way. Kennedy tells the dispatcher she’s in a bedroom with her grandmother.

In the middle of the third call, Kennedy starts to scream: "Mommy's dead, mommy's dead."

The dispatcher asked whether Nelson was talking and Kennedy asked her grandmother. The grandmother said Nelson was not talking.

"I think she's dead," Kennedy said. “Please get here."

The dispatcher tells Kennedy deputies are on the way and they would help her mother.

Near the end of the third call, sirens can be heard in the background. The dispatcher tells Kennedy a deputy is inside the home but she should remain in the bedroom.

Kennedy asked her grandmother whether Nelson was dead.

"I don't know, she's just laying there," the grandmother is heard saying.

Kennedy begins screaming, "I think mommy's dead."

The dispatcher tells her police are in the home and officers will help Nelson. She continues to talk to Kennedy to try to keep her in the bedroom.

Kennedy screams again, "My mommy is dead. Dead."

A police officer is heard walking into the bedroom and Kennedy begins hysterically asking if her mother is dead.

"I don't want my mommy to be dead," she said.

The call ends.

As it turns out, Nelson died from injuries before deputies had a chance to get there given the rural location and Mann's quick actions.

After killing Nelson, Manns stabbed himself to death.

The preceding article was originally published by The Lima News. Republished with permission.