TOLEDO, Ohio — The family of the man accused of shooting three young brothers and killing two on Feb. 5 is opening up about his struggles with mental health.
Kevin Moore, 27, is suspected of shooting his girlfriend, Crystal Marie Andrews' children at Byrneport Apartments in south Toledo.
Ahmir Phillips, 5, and Gabriel Phillips, 1, were killed, and Ashtan Phillips, 4, was critically injured.
Doctors told Jaquail Phillips, the boy's father, that the bullet shattered Ashton's jaw and caused internal bleeding. He is still recovering at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor.
The Toledo Police Department hasn't released a motive for the shooting, but Lt. Daniel Gerken said previously the situation was thought to be a domestic dispute.
Moore's aunt, Keya Johnson, who lives in Georgia, said her nephew was medically diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic when he was a teenager.
According to the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit American academic medical center, paranoid schizophrenia is a disorder that affects a person's ability to think, feel, and behave clearly. Signs and symptoms may vary, but usually involve delusions, hallucinations or disorganized speech, and reflect an impaired ability to function.
In men, schizophrenia symptoms typically start in the early to mid-20s. In women, symptoms typically begin in the late 20s. It's uncommon for children to be diagnosed with schizophrenia and rare for those older than age 45.
Sticking with a treatment plan can help prevent relapses or worsening of symptoms. People with schizophrenia require lifelong treatment.
Johnson said Moore was on medication, but she isn't sure how often he was sticking to his treatment. She never thought he'd one day be accused of murdering two young boys.
"I'm a mother so I cried for those kids," Johnson said. "I was very upset that he did that and two kids lost their life. My family is mourning right beside the father and right beside the mother."
Johnson said Moore moved from Indiana to Toledo to be with Andrews. He'd only been in the city for a few months before the shooting and she hadn't spoken to him for about two weeks before the incident.
Johnson doesn't have the full details of what happened during the incident, but she said Moore will have his day in court and the boys deserve justice.
Moore was indicted in Toledo Municipal Court Feb. 10 on two counts of aggravated murder, one count of attempt to commit aggravated murder and two counts of felonious assault.
He has pleaded not guilty.
Moore is being held on two $2 million bonds for each count of murder and one $1 million bond for the felonious assault count. If he is bonded out, Moore will be required to wear an ankle bracelet and have no contact with the family of the children.
His next court date is March 18.
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