On Friday police found 82 year old William Neal dead inside his home on Vernon Street. They weren’t sure if it was a homicide but tonight they are. A post mortem on Saturday found that he died of a stab wound to the chest. So the senior citizen was killed inside his home - but who would want to kill an 82 year old man and why? His family thinks they know.
Keith Swift Reporting,
On Friday afternoon police removed the body of 82 year old William Nathaniel Neal, also known as Popsy Neal, from the back bedroom of his home at 110 Vernon Street.
Eleanor McKenzie, Daughter of murder victim
“I screamed. I didn’t believe it. He is an old man, I mean my hurt was broken. I was in Chicago when I got the news. How do you react to that,
that your father is found dead.”
He had been killed with a single stab wound to the heart.
Eleanor McKenzie,
“The policeman said that they didn’t think it is robbery because nothing was taken and it didn’t look like robbery. I spoke to them this morning and they said they didn’t think it was robbery because nothing was disturbed like a robbery.”
And since the motive wasn’t robbery, Eleanor McKenzie, who is William Neal’s first born child, believes it was a result of the dispute over this property at the corner of Vernon Street and Central American Boulevard. Neal claimed he owned the entire parcel of land and when the actual owner built a cement divider – William Neal single-handedly began to demolish it.
Eleanor McKenzie,
“They were disputing over a fence, I guess he took the guy’s
fence down and he put up a fence because there is an ongoing dispute over the land.”
Keith Swift,
“Who is the land for?”
Eleanor McKenzie,
“My father said the whole land belongs to him but they went to court and it is supposed to be that half of the land belongs to the guy. But my father insisted that the whole land belongs to him and he is not giving up and my feeling is that is the whole basis of his death. I can’t prove that it had something to do with the land.”
Keith Swift,
“When was the last time you spoke to your dad?”
Eleanor McKenzie,
“Saturday.”
Keith Swift,
“Did he mention to you that he was having problems with the neighbour?”
Eleanor McKenzie,
“Oh yes he was. He told me that he took the fence down and I told him why don’t you leave it alone but he was a stubborn man.”
A stubborn man who his daughter says didn’t have to die.
Eleanor McKenzie,
“I just can’t fathom. He is an old man, the man is 82. You could go to court.”
Eleanor McKenzie says all the family has left are memories of their father – like this picture taken when she visited in November of 2009.
Eleanor McKenzie,
“We always have fun and we laugh about things. He and I always laughed, because I live in Chicago and when I talk to him on the telephone and laugh and joke about different things that have happened. When I was here the last time I told him that when I go back to Chicago and when they ask me where did you visit I will say, car stand, and who did you see, taxi driver, because I told them everyday that is where he took me and when I talked to him on Saturday he said what are you going to tell them and I said, car stand. We laughed about that and you know your parents are at a age when they are going to die but you don’t expect them to die in that manner. You expecting that they will go sick, go peacefully, but not in the way he went.”
Reporting for 7News, Keith Swift.
William Neal was laid to rest yesterday. Police had initially detained the neighbour with whom Neal had a land dispute but he has since been released. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 0-800-922-TIPS.
