A Kansas man who shot and killed his wife, adult son, and neighbor’s dog will almost certainly spend the rest of his life in prison.
Todd Donovan, 54, pleaded guilty in April to two counts of first-degree murder and one count of animal cruelty. On Tuesday, he received a “Hard 50” sentence, which means he will serve 50 years in prison before being eligible for parole.
The charges stemmed from a spree of violence that occurred last November.
Officers from the Lenexa Police Department arrived at a home in the city’s 7900 block of Hallet Street around 8:20 p.m. on Friday, November 1. They were called to respond to a “armed disturbance,” and when they arrived, “they heard multiple gunshots coming from the area of the residence,” according to the department.
A negotiation between officers and the suspect began and lasted several hours.
“Lenexa officers spoke on the phone with the individual suspected of firing shots, an adult male, and learned he was inside his residence,” according to the police. However, the suspect, later identified as Donovan, “refused to comply with officer’s requests to come outside peacefully,” and around two hours into the negotiation, he reportedly stopped talking entirely.
At 1:50 a.m., more than five hours after police arrived and three other agencies joined the “barricade operation,” a specialized unit from the Lenexa Police Department forced its way into the home and apprehended Donovan. He was taken to a nearby hospital “on a possible overdose,” according to police.
Inside the house, police discovered the bodies of Sheila Donovan, 52, and Tyler Donovan, 22, both of whom had been shot. Both were pronounced dead. During the investigation, authorities discovered that “a neighbor’s dog was shot and killed around the same time that officers responded to the initial call.”
According to court documents reviewed by Kansas City CBS affiliate KCTV, Donovan walked out of his home with his hands in the air and threw a rifle from his garage before stopping talking to crisis negotiators. However, he reportedly returned to his home to take medication “to help himself calm down,” later admitting to taking approximately 30 Ambien.
He then stopped speaking with law enforcement, but his phone remained turned on, with court records indicating that authorities “could hear him snoring in the background,” according to KCTV.
Todd Donovan is said to have called his brother, Aaron Miller, on that November night and threatened to commit suicide.
“Aaron informed law enforcement that [the] defendant stated, ‘I just shot my family. They assumed I was asleep. “I heard them laughing and making fun of me, so I shot them,” according to court documents obtained by the Johnson County Post. He then reportedly entered a neighbor’s home and shot their dog.
The court documents provided additional insight into the defendant’s mental state as police arrived. According to the Johnson County Post, Todd Donovan “requested that officers come get him and shoot him,” and when asked who lived with him, he said, “A couple of traitors, I guess.”
“Come to get me. I mean, I’m armed to the teeth, but I’m not going to shoot,” he reportedly added – as well as, “I cannot believe my family turned on me like that,” and, “I just want to die.”
A “Hard 50” sentence was established for life sentences with a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 50 years and is intended to be the “default sentence when a defendant is convicted of premeditated first degree murder committed on or after July 1, 2014,” according to the Kansas State Legislature.
Sheila Donovan is remembered for her “legacy of love, laughter, and unwavering faith,” according to her obituary.
“Her greatest pride and joy was her son, Tyler, and she delighted in sharing every piece of news about him,” Johnson County Funeral Chapel & Memorial Gardens said. “Sheila’s laugh was truly infectious, and her sense of humor could light up any room. She made every occasion more enjoyable by instilling laughter and fun.”
Tyler Donovan “seldom asked for help but was always the first to offer a helping hand to others,” according to his obituary. “His generous heart and willingness to support friends and family exemplified his selfless spirit, which will be deeply missed by all who knew him.”
