Commanded to Kill

Summary

Fear Thy Neighbor – Episode: "Commanded to Kill" Release Date: November 4, 2024

Host: ID

---

Introduction

In the gripping episode titled "Commanded to Kill," Fear Thy Neighbor delves into the harrowing true story of Mark Duckett, a seemingly ordinary neighbor whose descent into paranoia culminates in a tragic and fatal confrontation with the Sienna family in West Mountain, Hamilton, Ontario.

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Setting the Scene: West Mountain, Hamilton

The episode begins by painting a vivid picture of West Mountain, a quiet, working-class neighborhood in Hamilton, Ontario, renowned for its picturesque homes and friendly community atmosphere.

Ash Kelly [05:04]: "West Mountain in Hamilton is mostly single family residence homes, you know, big yards, big houses, driveways, two-car garages... It's quite beautiful in terms of middle-class Canada."

Hamilton, known as Steeltown and the waterfall capital of the world, serves as the backdrop for this unsettling tale of neighborly discord escalating into violence.

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Introducing the Families: The Siennas and the Ducketts

The story centers around two families: the Siennas and the Ducketts. Following a divorce, Kathy Sienna and her daughter Alex move into a new home on West Mountain, hoping for a fresh start. Their relationship with their neighbors, Annette and Paul Duckett, and their adopted son Mark initially appears cordial.

Alex Sienna [05:35]: "My parents said they were getting a divorce. My mom found a house on the West Mountain, so I moved in with her."

Mark Duckett, a 26-year-old H Vac technician with a turbulent past, becomes a focal point as his interactions with the Sienna family begin to shift from friendly to intrusive.

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Early Signs of Paranoia: Boundaries Crossed

Mark’s behavior starts innocuously with frequent requests for cigarettes, leading to unplanned visits that disrupt the Siennas' peace.

Alex Sienna [08:12]: "One time I was home and I heard a knock at the door. I answered the door. I was the only one there at that time."

As Mark's requests become more persistent, Mitchell, Kathy's son, confronts him to set boundaries.

Mitchell: "Okay, Mark, this has got to stop right now. What's going to stop?"

Mark’s reaction hints at deeper issues, foreshadowing the impending tragedy.

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Escalation of Paranoia: Hallucinations and Surveillance

With Mitchell moving out and new neighbors Nico and Jen joining the household, Mark's paranoia intensifies. He begins to experience hallucinations, believing that his neighbors are conspiring against him.

Mark Duckett [12:02]: "Can you believe we live next to a loser like Mark?"

Mark installs a camera aimed at the Sienna home, further invading their privacy.

Alex Sienna [19:33]: "I never saw a camera. I did not even know there was a camera there."

Despite his neighbors' attempts to address his behavior, Mark remains convinced of the Siennas' malintent, exacerbating his mental decline.

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The Breaking Point: Night of July 29, 2019

The tension reaches its apex on a fateful Tuesday night when Mark's actions become violently aggressive. After a series of unsettling encounters, including banging on windows and flashing a high-powered flashlight, the Sienna family calls the police in a desperate attempt to end the harassment.

Nico Sienna [31:48]: "We have our neighbor acting irrational and he's banging on the windows, flashing a flashlight in the windows."

However, the police response is inadequate. Officers speak to both families and Mark but fail to recognize the imminent threat.

Mark Duckett [33:09]: "If there's a concern of violence, you have to check for a firearm."

This oversight proves catastrophic.

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The Tragic Confrontation: Murder of Nico Sienna

A few hours after the police leave, Mark violently breaks into the Sienna home armed with a brick and a handgun. The ensuing chaos results in the horrific murder of 28-year-old Nico Sienna.

Alex Sienna [38:30]: "The air smelled like blood. Smelled like gunpowder and blood and glass."

Despite attempts to de-escalate, Mark's actions leave the family traumatized and Nico fatally wounded.

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Aftermath and Legal Proceedings

Mark Duckett is apprehended and initially charged with first-degree murder. However, his defense team successfully argues that he was not criminally responsible due to his paranoid schizophrenia diagnosis.

Alex Sienna [45:46]: "Do I think that he was having a schizophrenic episode the night that he killed my brother? Absolutely not."

This verdict sparks controversy and leaves the Siennas feeling abandoned by both the legal system and Mark's adoptive parents.

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Community and Personal Impact

The murder sends shockwaves through the West Mountain community, shattering its once-idyllic reputation. The Sienna family grapples with their loss, seeking justice through a civil lawsuit against the police and the Duckett family.

Alex Sienna [46:59]: "If Annette and Paul maybe took Mark to the doctor or had him committed, I wish they would have done something because my brother would likely still be alive."

Kathy Sienna, determined to honor her son's memory, relocates her family, leaving behind the haunting memories of that tragic night.

Alex Sienna [49:27]: "Living through all of this has changed my life. I'll never be the same."

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Conclusion: A Cautionary Tale

"Commanded to Kill" serves as a chilling reminder of how unresolved mental health issues and overlooked warning signs can lead to devastating consequences. The episode underscores the importance of community vigilance, adequate mental health support, and responsible law enforcement responses to prevent such tragedies.

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Key Quotes with Timestamps

• Mitchell’s Confrontation with Mark [09:53]:

  Mitchell: "Okay, Mark, this has got to stop right now."

• Mark's Growing Paranoia [12:32]:

  Mark: "We're watching you, Mark. We're gonna get you, can't hide from us."

• Alex's 911 Call After the Shooting [41:24]:

  Alex Sienna: "Please, my brother was shot."

• Alex on Mark’s Responsibility [45:26]:

  Alex Sienna: "I wholeheartedly believe that he retaliated because we called the police."

• Alex Reflecting on Her Loss [49:20]:

  Alex Sienna: "He was like my twin... And then that was taken away from me in an instant."

---

Final Thoughts

This episode poignantly captures the fragility of neighborly relationships and the dire consequences when trust erodes. Fear Thy Neighbor effectively portrays the intersection of mental health struggles and community safety, leaving listeners with a profound understanding of the events that unfolded on that tragic night in West Mountain.

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If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit finder.support for support with mental health, drug, and alcohol issues.

Transcript

[Paige Desorbo]

This is Paige, the co host of Giggly Squad. I use Uber Eats for everything and I feel like people forget that you can truly order anything, especially living in New York City. It's why I love it. You can get Chinese food at any time of night, but it's not just for food. I order from CVS all the time. I'm always ordering from the grocery store. If a friend stops over, I have to order champagne. I also have this thing that whenever I travel, if I'm ever in a hotel room, I never feel like I'm missing something because I'll just Uber Eats it. The amount of times I've had to Uber eats hair items like hairspray, deodorant, you name it, I've ordered it. On Uber Eats, you can get grocery alcohol everyday essentials in addition to restaurants and food you love. So in other words, get almost anything With Uber Eats. Order now for alcohol you must be legal drinking age. Please enjoy responsibly. Product availability varies by region.

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Hey guys. Welcome to Giggly Squad.

[Hannah Berner]

A place where we make fun of everything, but most importantly ourselves.

[Paige Desorbo]

I'm Paige Desorbo.

[Hannah Berner]

I'm Hannah Berner.

[Paige Desorbo]

Welcome to the squad.

[Hannah Berner]

Giggly Squad started on Summer House when.

[Ash Kelly]

We were giggling during an inappropriate time.

[Paige Desorbo]

But of course we can't be managed.

[Hannah Berner]

So we decided to start this podcast to continue giggling.

[Paige Desorbo]

We will make fun of pop culture news. We're watching fashion trends pep talks where we give advice, mental health moments and games and guests.

[Hannah Berner]

Listen to Giggly Squad on Acast or.

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[Hannah Berner]

Most violent crimes that capture the public's imagination are about serial killers, mass shooters, crimes of passion, or clashes among underworld figures. Yet some of the most shocking and deadly conflicts we encounter are between everyday neighbors in ordinary neighborhoods. These stories about people like you and me who just happen to move in beside each other and fall out over often minor and likely resolvable issues, are stranger than fiction. Their seemingly minor quibbles escalate until violence erupts and it impacts an entire community. What makes a good neighbor go bad? We may never truly know, but heed this warning about the terrible things that can happen when even the pettiest disagreements pass the point of no return. And good neighbors become worst enemies. Because how can you sleep at night when the person you fear or hate the most lives right next door? Today's story takes us to a quiet street in a Canadian city. It's a working class town, the kind where it's not uncommon to have a friendly relationship with your neighbor and call on them for favors. It's where one divorcee and her adult children reside and form a cordial relationship with the family next door. Things seem to be going great, but what they don't realize is that their presence will soon trigger bouts of paranoia in one of their neighbors. Though the families try to distance themselves, paranoia leads to delusion, culminating in a bloody late night visit that will haunt one family forever. This is fear thy neighbor commanded to kill. Between Toronto and Niagara Falls sits Hamilton, Ontario, also known as Steeltown and the waterfall capital of the world. It's a city famed for its industry and beautiful vistas. Inside Hamilton sits the quiet neighborhood of West Mountain.

[Ash Kelly]

West Mountain in Hamilton is mostly single family residence homes, you know, big yards, big houses, driveways, two car garages, you know, multi story homes. It's quite beautiful in terms of, you know, if you're walking around, you're looking at middle class Canada.

[Hannah Berner]

That's Ash Kelly, a Canadian journalist.

[Ash Kelly]

But Hamilton itself is also a very industrial town, so it's got a very diverse population in terms of people's background and professions.

[Hannah Berner]

Following a divorce, it's where Kathy Sienna and her daughter Alex decide to call home.

[Alex Sienna]

My parents said they were getting a divorce. My mom found a house on the West Mountain, so I moved in with her.

[Hannah Berner]

The voice you just heard is Alex Sienna, the daughter of Kathy. She and her mom maintain a close bond and quickly work on making their new house a home. Kathy, the matriarch, is Thrilled with the new space. It's a promising fresh start and the perfect gathering place for herself and her three adult children.

[Acast Ad]

I moved into my home on Magnolia and it was a duplex with open concept. You know, our house was the social center. Always something on the go. It was very, very busy, very social.

[Hannah Berner]

Also living with them is Kathy's son Mitchell.

[Alex Sienna]

Mitchell worked at a car body shop. So he was always working on a car.

[Ash Kelly]

How am I going to tinker with.

[Hannah Berner]

That thing for call a mechanic already.

[Mark Duckett]

Where's the fun in that?

[Hannah Berner]

Just don't work out all night and.

[Aura Ad]

Be late for dinner.

[Hannah Berner]

Living next door to the Sienna family are the dockets. Annette and Paul and their adopted son Mark.

[Aura Ad]

Hey, guys.

[Acast Ad]

They were lovely. They were older than myself.

[Hannah Berner]

Wow, look at this. You really should open your own flower shop.

[Acast Ad]

So it was very cordial, no issues. Hi.

[Aura Ad]

Bye.

[Acast Ad]

How's your day? Your flowers look nice.

[Hannah Berner]

On paper, Annette and Paul Duckett are the ideal neighbors. A quiet retired couple, they are friendly but not invasive. Their son, 26 year old Mark, works on and off as an H Vac technician. Initially, he's quite friendly, especially when considering the tough childhood he's had to overcome.

[Ash Kelly]

When he was born, Mark Duckett was immediately remanded into child protective services. He spent two years in care before he was adopted by Annette and Paul Duckett.

[Hannah Berner]

Mark and Kathy's son Mitchell are around the same age.

[Acast Ad]

Nice wheels, Mitchell. Thanks, man. How you been doing? Okay. You got a smoke? Mark next door would come over, you know, hey bud, did you have a smoke? Do you have a smoke? And of course Mitchell would give it to him. Give it to him. Beauchaque.

[Ash Kelly]

Yeah, but not today, right? Hey, Mark, can you give me a.

[Hannah Berner]

Hand in the kitchen?

[Alex Sienna]

Definitely not a friendship, but definitely like a cordial, neighborly, you know, interactions.

[Hannah Berner]

Their close proximity means Mark pays unplanned visits to his neighbors, Often at inopportune times.

[Acast Ad]

Mitchell would work late and then he would be tinkering on whatever car he had. At that time. Mark would just appear, like out of nowhere.

[Ash Kelly]

Danny smokes.

[Acast Ad]

Look, man, I'm not your endless source of free cigarettes. Of course not.

[Hannah Berner]

But Mark's request for free cigarettes begin to increase to a daily rate. And when Mitchell isn't in clear view working on his car, Mark goes knocking on the front door.

[Alex Sienna]

One time I was home and I heard a knock at the door. I answered the door. I was the only one there at that time.

[Acast Ad]

Hey, is, is Mitchell home?

[Aura Ad]

Are you a friend of his?

[Acast Ad]

I just. I just wanted to bum a smoke. He's not home right now.

[Paige Desorbo]

Okay, Bye.

[Ash Kelly]

You know, maybe Mark was reaching out and trying to be friends. Maybe this was his way of connecting with people. Certainly smoking is a social activity. I mean, it doesn't seem completely abnormal. But what it demonstrates is a lack of sort of boundaries.

[Hannah Berner]

Mitchell has long been growing tired of Mark's endless cigarette mooching. But this is the last straw. To Mitchell. Knocking on his front door and bothering his sister is a gross violation. And he's determined to set a firm boundary with Mark.

[Acast Ad]

Hey, Mitchell. Just knocking on your door. Got a Denny smokes.

[Mark Duckett]

Okay, Mark, this has got to stop right now.

[Acast Ad]

What's going to stop? Mitchell was kind of shutting that down because, you know, like, you know, one here. There's. Okay, but not the knocking on the door and asking for cigarettes. Specifically bothering my family.

[Mark Duckett]

Now we're done.

[Acast Ad]

Okay, I'll have smokes for you. Okay. He kind of felt like that was crossing the line.

[Ash Kelly]

It probably wasn't a big deal for Mitch to just stop interacting with Mark. What Mark felt on the other side of that, it could have been a massive blow, you know, to his self esteem, to his sense of self.

[Hannah Berner]

After some time, Mitchell moves out of his mother's house.

[Acast Ad]

Mitchell moved in with his girlfriend.

[Hannah Berner]

Drive careful, please. Call me when you get there, okay?

[Acast Ad]

Okay. I'll miss you.

[Hannah Berner]

I'll miss you too.

[Acast Ad]

So he was starting a new life.

[Ash Kelly]

I think this relationship between Mark and Mitchell, I believe the Siena family perceived it as very one sided. So despite Mark's willingness to open up and connect with Mitchell, it doesn't feel like that was necessarily reciprocated with the.

[Hannah Berner]

Neighbor he perceived as his friend. Now out of the picture, Mark becomes.

[Alex Sienna]

Reclusive for an extended period of time. I didn't even know if he lived there anymore because I didn't see him for a long time. But when I did see him, he was strange. Kept to himself, Quite quiet, almost like withdrawn.

[Hannah Berner]

Despite their son's shutaway nature, Annette and Paul Duckett remain friendly members of their community. And it's about to get some new additions. Looks like we've got some new neighbors. Kathy's eldest son Nico and his girlfriend Jennifer move in with her.

[Acast Ad]

And Alex, well, they were renting an apartment. It was expensive and it was hard for kids to get ahead. And I just wanted them to be able to save for their future. He was a manager for Car Star Canada. He would oversee the operations of 25 different collision centers.

[Hannah Berner]

Nico and Jen's arrival next door triggers something in Mark's perception of reality.

[Alex Sienna]

Right around the time that Nico and Jen moved in, Mark's behavior became increasing increasingly weirder and weirder.

[Ash Kelly]

Mark's behavior seems to worsen after Nico moves in, but we don't know why. Is this still a fallout from Mitch's departure?

[Hannah Berner]

Mark begins to experience extreme paranoia about his neighbor's behavior towards him. And it's not long before the paranoia becomes full blown hallucinations.

[Aura Ad]

Can you believe we live next to a loser like Mark?

[Acast Ad]

We're watching you, Mark.

[Hannah Berner]

We're gonna get you can't hide from us. Soon, Mark develops a belief that he's not only hated by his neighbors, he feels as though his every move is being watched and judged by them too.

[Ash Kelly]

He's experiencing the world as someone in an early state of psychosis that's being projected upon the Siena family.

[Hannah Berner]

The Siena family is initially unaware of Mark's paranoia towards them. They chalk up his increasingly odd behavior to a standoffish personality.

[Alex Sienna]

At the time, I truly had no idea. I just thought he was a weird, maybe anti social person.

[Ash Kelly]

The goings on in the yard of the Sienna home, Mark was interpreting that as a threat to his safety, privacy, and security.

[Hannah Berner]

After Nico and Jen settle in, they start to recognize something's up with Mark's perception of them. Nico decides to raise the issue of Mark's odd demeanor with his mother.

[Aura Ad]

Hey, mom.

[Acast Ad]

Hey. What's up with that guy next door? I don't know. He just seems a little off.

[Hannah Berner]

Yeah, Mark, he's definitely an odd duck.

[Acast Ad]

So I thought he's just antisocial or he's awkward or there's something wrong with him. I didn't really know.

[Hannah Berner]

But it doesn't take long before Kathy likewise becomes aware of Mark's abnormal conduct towards her.

[Acast Ad]

I was waiting to get picked up by Hauser, my boyfriend at the time. Mark is walking in between the houses, and all of a sudden he did this like somersault midair.

[Ash Kelly]

Mark was hearing voices telling him to do things, and he thought maybe it was the Sienna family directing him to do these things like acrobatic somersaults or little flips.

[Acast Ad]

And then he would sit in the chair and then just cross his arms and stare. I felt really uneasy. I wasn't sure what to make of him. You look nice.

[Paige Desorbo]

Thank you.

[Acast Ad]

Hauser picked me up. Mark just stared at us, you know, with his arms crossed.

[Ash Kelly]

Is everything all right?

[Hannah Berner]

Yeah, yeah, let's just go.

[Acast Ad]

And watched us drive away in a creepy way.

[Hannah Berner]

Mark's increasingly weird behavior leaves the Sienna family with little choice but to keep tabs. On him. But to Mark, this just confirms his belief that he's being constantly surveilled.

[Paige Desorbo]

This is Paige, the co host of Giggly Squad. I use Uber Eats for everything and I feel like people forget that you can truly order anything, especially living in New York City. It's why I love it. You can get Chinese food at any time of night, but it's not just for food. I order from CVS all the time. I'm always ordering from the grocery store. If a friend stops over, I have to order champagne. I also have this thing that whenever I travel, if I'm ever in a hotel room, I never feel like I'm missing something because I'll just Uber Eats it. The amount of times I've had to Uber eats hair items like hairspray, deodorant, you name it, I've ordered it. On Uber Eats. You can get grocery alcohol everyday essentials in addition to restaurants and food you love. So in other words, get almost anything with Uber Eats. Order now for alcohol, you must be legal drinking age. Please enjoy responsibly. Product availability varies by region. See app for details.

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[Mark Duckett]

Mark had expressed a lot of paranoia about the neighbors being after him.

[Hannah Berner]

That's David Eleniuk, now retired. Dave was formerly a staff sergeant for the Hamilton police service. As time goes on, the Sienna family finds Mark's behavior increasingly unsettling.

[Alex Sienna]

We were starting to feel super uneasy and pretty unsafe just with the actions that Mark was doing.

[Acast Ad]

I don't know what he wanted. And it was weird, and, you know, it was just creepy.

[Alex Sienna]

We would, you know, leave and go for groceries. Mark would be sitting, and he would just be staring at us. Just staring. Didn't wave, didn't say hello or anything like that. Mark would just stare at. We'd come back, and Mark would be in the exact same position that he was. It's almost like he was a statue. He did not move. He would just be staring.

[Ash Kelly]

It's clear that Mark was experiencing hallucinations. Nonsensical, illogical threats that don't exist.

[Hannah Berner]

The main hallucination Mark seems to be plagued with Are visions that his neighbors are laughing at him.

[Aura Ad]

You're such a loser.

[Acast Ad]

What's wrong with this guy?

[Ash Kelly]

Oh, you're such a freak.

[Mark Duckett]

It would appear that Mark felt a little threatened by Nico.

[Hannah Berner]

These perceived dangers about his neighbors. Weigh heavily on Mark's mind. At some point, after Nico and Jen move in, he decides to take steps to document the perceived harassment from next door.

[Ash Kelly]

Mark purchased a camera and put it in the window that faces the Siena home.

[Hannah Berner]

The Siennas are completely unaware that their neighbor is recording them.

[Alex Sienna]

I never saw a camera. I did not even know there was a camera there.

[Mark Duckett]

I don't know what he was trying to prove. There is no evidence that the Siennas had any intention to harm him whatsoever.

[Hannah Berner]

Even though his neighbors posed no threat to Mark, his mental deterioration continues to worsen.

[Ash Kelly]

From the Duckett perspective, they had repeatedly witnessed Mark locking himself in his bedroom and screaming.

[Acast Ad]

Oh, my God, Mark. Let's go, Mark.

[Ash Kelly]

He would just scream alone in his bedroom. And they could hear it throughout the household.

[Hannah Berner]

To make matters worse, Mark's adoptive parents, Paul and Annette, seem to be at a loss. They have no idea what's going on inside their son's head. And have no clue how to help him.

[Acast Ad]

Mark.

[Mark Duckett]

Mark, I need you to unlock this door.

[Acast Ad]

Honey? Sweetheart, what's wrong? What's wrong?

[Ash Kelly]

What's wrong?

[Alex Sienna]

To try to get me.

[Hannah Berner]

Who's trying to get you?

[Mark Duckett]

He has a level of paranoia that is disproportionate to any problem in reality.

[Hannah Berner]

I really think it would be a good idea for you to maybe talk to a doctor. Unfortunately, as he's 26 years old, Mark's parents cannot force him into psychiatric care. And trying to compel an adult to get that kind of help can be a difficult process.

[Acast Ad]

No. What are they gonna do?

[Hannah Berner]

Well, they might be able to figure.

[Ash Kelly]

Something out that it's easy to imagine that he would have been overwhelmed by the prospect of seeking help. Or perhaps he actually had no self awareness. Perhaps he did not know that he was spiraling.

[Acast Ad]

I'm okay now.

[Mark Duckett]

You guys can go back to what you're doing, please.

[Ash Kelly]

People develop a fear of institutionalization where we've seen a number of abuses against vulnerable people occur. So I think in general there's a lack of trust.

[Hannah Berner]

With his paranoia spiking, Mark has a new idea about how to best protect himself. But he needs his mother's help.

[Acast Ad]

Hey mom, can I grab your signature?

[Hannah Berner]

What's it for? Just a second, Jill.

[Acast Ad]

Just something I'm working on.

[Hannah Berner]

In a disturbing twist, and with a swift flick of her pen, Annette Duckett has unknowingly sponsored her son's application for a firearm license, a must for gun ownership in Canada.

[Mark Duckett]

Annette claims that she remembers signing some forms, but weren't aware of what they were about.

[Ash Kelly]

If you're a first time applicant, you have to go through 16 hours of gun safety and gun history training, fill out a few forms, have some sponsors or witnesses to.

[Mark Duckett]

They're a typical government form. Several pages, lots of fine print. There's a certain plausibility there. Who knows if Mark told her the truth.

[Ash Kelly]

Mark didn't have any previous interactions with police. So there wouldn't have been any red flags on that firearms license when they did go to process it.

[Hannah Berner]

Mark's firearm license application is approved. Now able to legally purchase a gun, Mark goes shopping Mark.

[Mark Duckett]

After he gets his license, he obtains a Glock 9 millimeter pistol.

[Ash Kelly]

There was, you know, either a fear there and a belief that he needed a firearm to either protect himself, or there was always intent there in some way.

[Hannah Berner]

Now, armed and thinking he's better equipped to protect himself, Mark's attention shifts back to the Siennas next door. In their world, it's a normal weekend. One filled with excitement for Nico.

[Acast Ad]

Carstar had sent Nico for a weekend conference. It was in Chicago. He was over the top. Happy. You two behave while I'm gone, okay?

[Paige Desorbo]

Please?

[Hannah Berner]

Are you kidding?

[Acast Ad]

Jen and I are going to hit the clubs. Yeah, great.

[Hannah Berner]

Love you.

[Acast Ad]

Love you.

[Hannah Berner]

And Nico isn't the only one out of the house that weekend.

[Acast Ad]

My boyfriend Hauser had Went back home for a visit. Alex was out for the evening, so it was just Jen and myself home. Jen was downstairs watching a show, and I was just in my room winding down for the evening.

[Hannah Berner]

Kathy and Jen don't realize it yet, but next door, Mark is plotting his next move. But first, he must wait for nightfall.

[Acast Ad]

It was after 9 o' clock. Mark knocked on my door. And I thought, why is he picking now to come to my door when all the cars are gone? I already had an uneven feeling about him. I opened it and he was standing there. I said, can I help you? And Mark said, can I come in?

[Hannah Berner]

No, you can't.

[Acast Ad]

And I put my foot on the door and I felt very uneasy. What do you want? We have a lot to talk about. He was saying, oh, there's just so much to talk about, so much to discuss.

[Hannah Berner]

What?

[Acast Ad]

And I thought to myself, like, what?

[Hannah Berner]

It's late.

[Acast Ad]

Then I'll address my concerns another time. I'm like, okay, all right, good night. And I shut the door and I locked it. The hair was standing up on the back of my neck. I felt so creeped out. I thought the timing was odd. And I went down and I told Jen what happened. And we locked everything, closed every blind. And I felt really uneasy about that.

[Ash Kelly]

We know that he did have some perceptions that, you know, the world was out to get him. Maybe he wanted to know, why are you watching me? What do you have against me? What have I done to frighten or hurt you?

[Acast Ad]

I just knew something is off. I was extremely uncomfortable and I was afraid.

[Hannah Berner]

Becoming increasingly scared by Mark's erratic behavior. Kathy hopes a different approach will put an end to things.

[Acast Ad]

So after this incident of him arriving at my door at night, I contacted the parents and expressed my concern.

[Hannah Berner]

Hi, Mr. And Mrs. Duckett.

[Acast Ad]

Hi.

[Hannah Berner]

Do you have a minute? Yeah, sure.

[Acast Ad]

What's up?

[Hannah Berner]

I want to talk to you about Mark.

[Acast Ad]

What about him?

[Hannah Berner]

He's been coming over to my place and staring at us. He's been knocking on my door and trying to come in. It sounds like he's just trying to be friendly.

[Acast Ad]

I. I think something else is going on with him.

[Hannah Berner]

But Kathy's attempt to flag the escalating issues are brushed off by Paul and Annette. We actually have a lot to do right now, so can we talk about this later? And the phone call only serves to completely sever contact with the ducats.

[Acast Ad]

Never spoke to me again after that. They just avoided. Just avoided. There was no more. Hi, how are you? There was no more contact.

[Mark Duckett]

There's a certain amount of unwillingness to believe or have to deal with someone with a mental illness in the early stages. And I think Kathy expressing her concerns to Annette was forcing Annette to maybe have to deal with something she didn't want to have to come.

[Acast Ad]

I think she was in complete denial. And if you don't talk about it, then it's not happening. Sweep it under the carpet.

[Hannah Berner]

The breach between the heads of households doesn't put an end to Mark's alarming behavior.

[Acast Ad]

It was ongoing for weeks.

[Hannah Berner]

In fact, Mark starts to behave even more erratically than ever before. And his invasion of privacy towards one particular member of the Sienna household is about to reach new heights. Alex Sienna has been wary of Mark ever since he knocked on the family's door looking for cigarettes. But in recent months, his behavior has become downright terrifying. Recently, she started to hear noises in the walkway that splits her house from the ducats. A walkway with a window looking directly into her bedroom.

[Alex Sienna]

Sometimes Mark would be singing to himself or would appear to be singing to himself. Mark would do a somersault and then land on his feet.

[Ash Kelly]

He was having intrusive thoughts about how he thought he was receiving commands to perform stunts from them.

[Alex Sienna]

Mark would start laughing to himself. I don't know why I felt the need to document what was going on.

[Hannah Berner]

What you're about to hear is audio between Alex and her brother Neil. Nico, from a video she took on one of these occasions.

[Alex Sienna]

Is he being weird?

[Acast Ad]

Get. Get the fuck back. Not even fucking kidding me.

[Mark Duckett]

Get out.

[Hannah Berner]

Mark is standing in the walkway close to Alex's window.

[Acast Ad]

Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

[Hannah Berner]

Oh, my God. Oh, my God. And then he walks by, staring directly at Nico through the bedroom window.

[Alex Sienna]

Mark just looking into the window and giving Nico, like, this crazy stare at. I was scared because I didn't know why he was staring into my window.

[Acast Ad]

Peeping in my daughter's window. My take on why he was doing it, I think this had been going on before Nico moved in. I think he had been spying on her without her even knowing it. And then when Nico moved in and he was kind of getting called out on it and getting caught, I think that made him very angry.

[Alex Sienna]

We were starting to feel super uneasy and pretty unsafe.

[Hannah Berner]

While Alex and Nico are no doubt freaked out by Mark's intimidating presence, Kathy begins to develop her own suspicions about what's driving Mark Duckett's odd behaviors.

[Acast Ad]

I believe that Mark had a complete obsession with my daughter, Alex. And when Nico started living home, he became a wedge between Mark and his obsession.

[Hannah Berner]

Whatever the driving force, Mark's perceptions about his neighbors are reaching a boiling point.

[Ash Kelly]

It's clear that things were getting worse and tensions were increasing, at least in Mark's head.

[Alex Sienna]

Mark's behavior had been building every day over the last two to three weeks.

[Hannah Berner]

Until one summer night, events escalate to a point of no return.

[Alex Sienna]

July 29, 2019. It was a Tuesday. I would say maybe 8:30 to 9:00pm I was just hanging out in my room and I heard a huge bang on my window. Nico, I had a connecting bathroom and then I heard a bang on that window.

[Acast Ad]

Nico.

[Alex Sienna]

I called for Nico and Jen and I said, mark's outside banging on the windows.

[Mark Duckett]

I've had enough of this guy bothering you.

[Alex Sienna]

So I remember the three of us, we went upstairs and Niko had opened the front door and Nico said, hey.

[Acast Ad]

Hey, could you cut that out?

[Alex Sienna]

Jen and I peek through the blinds and all we see is a light flashing back at us. Nico had opened the front door and Mark was hiding in the bushes.

[Hannah Berner]

Alex, Jen and Nico stand out and see Mark staring right back at them. In his hand, he's holding a high powered flashlight and he points it straight at the Sienna household.

[Alex Sienna]

So now, you know, he's flashing lights in the house. And so, you know, Nico opens the door again. You know, he's like, cut it out.

[Hannah Berner]

Kathy and her boyfriend Hauser are also home at the time. They join Nico, Jen and Alex by the front door.

[Acast Ad]

So I was watching a movie and the kids had brought it to my attention that the next door neighbor, Mark, was knocking on Alex's window. He was shining a light through the window.

[Hannah Berner]

By this time, Kathy's family has been dealing with the unpredictable behavior and harassment from her neighbor for months. And she's finally reached her wit's end.

[Acast Ad]

Okay, enough is enough. This has been going on for weeks, you know, knocking, causing a disturbance. Enough is enough. We're calling the police.

[Hannah Berner]

What you're about to hear is audio from Nico's 911 call that evening.

[Paige Desorbo]

911.

[Ash Kelly]

Police, fire or ambulance?

[Hannah Berner]

We have our neighbor acting irrational and he's banging on the windows, flashing a.

[Acast Ad]

Flashlight in the windows.

[Alex Sienna]

We just wanted something to be done about it because we were just being bothered in our own home for seemingly no reason.

[Hannah Berner]

The police arrive and the Sienas hope the trouble with their neighbor will finally be laid to rest.

[Alex Sienna]

The cops arrived between 9:45pm and 10:00pm.

[Acast Ad]

We told the police what had been going on with the peeping in the window with the lights. And even the officer says, I'm looking at five people and youse all look pretty fearful. I said, well, yeah, we are. That's why we called you. The police talked to all five of us and we showed him the video of Mark. We gave a description. We said, it's the guy next door. The police asked me that night, do you have any weapons in the house? I said, no, of course not. So I'm assuming they would ask the same question to the ducats.

[Hannah Berner]

After gathering information from the Siennas, the police moved next door to speak to Mark.

[Mark Duckett]

A couple of uniform officers went over and spoke to the ducats as well, and Mark denied what had happened.

[Hannah Berner]

Even though the officers asked the Siena family if they possessed any weapons, the responding officers don't question Mark if he has any. It's an oversight that will have a disastrous outcome.

[Mark Duckett]

If there's a concern of violence, you have to check for a firearm. If there's no overt threat of violence, it's not necessarily something that's mandatory.

[Ash Kelly]

It that was the one opportunity that police had, I think, to make a preventative call, and it didn't happen.

[Acast Ad]

We gave him a slap on the hand. They go, well, he did not. I go, well, he's a liar. You have five people in front of you telling you that he's been doing this. We gave you a video and we gave you a picture.

[Alex Sienna]

We just wanted them to do something.

[Acast Ad]

I didn't really get why nothing further was done.

[Hannah Berner]

Despite the police letting him off with a warning. Some believe the Sienna's call to law enforcement is the catalyst for Mark's next move.

[Paige Desorbo]

This is Paige, the co host of Giggly Squad. I use Uber Eats for everything and I feel like people forget that you can truly order anything, especially living in New York City. It's is why I love it. You can get Chinese food at any time of night. But it's not just for food. I order from CVS all the time. I'm always ordering from the grocery store. If a friend stops over, I have to order champagne. I also have this thing that whenever I travel, if I'm ever in a hotel room, I never feel like I'm missing something because I'll just Uber eats it. The amount of times I've had to Uber eats hair items like hairspray, deodorant, you name it, I've ordered it. On Uber Eats, you can get grocery alcohol everyday essentials in addition to restaurants and food you love. So in other words, get almost anything. With Uber Eats. Order now for alcohol, you must be legal drinking age. Please enjoy responsibly. Product availability varies by region. See app for details.

[Aura Ad]

This podcast is brought to you by Aura. Imagine waking up to find your bank account drained, bills for loans you never took out, a warrant for your arrest. All because someone stole your identity. Hackers aren't waiting. Why are you? That's why we're thrilled to partner with Aura. Your personal data is a goldmine for hackers, and Aura helps lock it down. Aura monitors the dark web, blocks data brokers from selling your information. Includes a VPN for private browsing and a password manager to secure your accounts before criminals break in. For a limited time, Aura is offering our listeners a 14 day free trial plus a dark web scan to check if your personal information has been leaked or all for [e-mail] safety that's aura.com safety to sign up and start protecting yourself and your loved ones. That's a u r a.com safety terms apply. Check the site for details.

[Mark Duckett]

Your customers are scrolling past your social ads, using ad blockers and paying for ad free streaming. But when they're listening to a podcast, they're hearing Acast ads, which are 4.4 times more engaging than with display ads. So if you want real attention, start advertising on podcasts with Acast.

[Acast Ad]

Start [e-mail] ads.

[Mark Duckett]

Hey, prime members, you can listen to.

[Acast Ad]

This show ad free on Amazon Music. Download the Amazon music app today.

[Ash Kelly]

Calling the police has major implications, especially for people with mental unwellness. It could end in their lives and has many times in this country. It was never harmless. Not for Mark. How Mark perceived the police arriving triggered him into such an incredible state of defensiveness and confusion that he became incredibly harmful.

[Alex Sienna]

All hell broke loose that night.

[Ash Kelly]

Nico and Jen, Alex, they're all sleeping downstairs. Kathy's upstairs in her bedroom with her partner. The doors are locked.

[Hannah Berner]

In the dead of night, Mark approaches his neighbor's house once more. But this time he's not armed with a flashlight. He's armed with a brick and his handgun.

[Ash Kelly]

Not much goes on until about three hours after police have left when there's a brick thrown through the window.

[Alex Sienna]

I had just fallen asleep and then I heard this massive bang. Like the loudest bang I've ever heard before. And I was like, what is going on?

[Hannah Berner]

Through the hole made with his brick, Mark is able to unlock the front door and enter the Sienna home.

[Alex Sienna]

Nico goes up the stairs and then Jen and I are right on his tail.

[Hannah Berner]

As he reaches the top of the stairs, Nico is horrified to see Mark in his front hallway armed with a glove 9 millimeter. Now fully In Big Brother mode, Niko attempts to appeal to his neighbor and de escalate the terrifying situation.

[Alex Sienna]

Everything happened in an instant. So all of a sudden, I hear Nico say, no, no, no, you don't have to do this.

[Acast Ad]

Hey, Mark, it's okay, man.

[Hannah Berner]

You know, you just put the gun down.

[Ash Kelly]

Please, please don't.

[Alex Sienna]

The air smelled like blood. Smelled like gunpowder and blood and glass. And it was just chaotic. I am hearing multiple shots over and over. And now I'm like, I'm in a full panic. So we run down the stairs, and we had a backdoor exit.

[Hannah Berner]

When they reached the front hallway, they see the devastating aftermath of Mark's paranoia, something that will change their family forever.

[Ash Kelly]

He was shot in cold blood, and he was shot repeatedly.

[Hannah Berner]

Kathy is still in her bedroom with her boyfriend, unsure of what exactly is unfolding inside her home. But she knows her family is in trouble.

[Acast Ad]

Oh, my God. That was gunshots. It was sheer terror. I had never heard a gunshot before other than on tv. What do I do? Like, where do I go? I have nowhere to go.

[Hannah Berner]

She calls 91 1, and I'm whispering.

[Acast Ad]

In the phone to 911. Shots fired.

[Hannah Berner]

In the actual 911 call, you'll hear. Now Kathy is so terrified that she can barely get the words out. Here's the audio. A warning. What you're about to hear is very upsetting.

[Alex Sienna]

I can't hear what you're saying.

[Acast Ad]

That's why you're shots, Meyer. I was trying to use my little voice, and it sounded so loud in my ear, like I thought, he's gonna hear. He's gonna hear like, I'm next.

[Hannah Berner]

Meanwhile, Alex and Jen have escaped the house.

[Alex Sienna]

We get out. We run out the doors, and we go up the side of the house. So I said to Jen, we're gonna run out. We're gonna go to the neighbor's house. I'm in front of Jen, and I kind of put my arm out, and I stop her, and I peek over, and then I see Mark Duckett run out of our front door, and I see him get into his car, and he drives away.

[Hannah Berner]

Now, free of Mark, Alex and Jen go back into their home to check on their beloved Nico.

[Alex Sienna]

We go back into the house, and there's glass everywhere. And then that's when I see Nico lying on the floor.

[Acast Ad]

No, Nico. Not my brother. And then the next thing I heard was, not my brother, Mom. Not my brother. And as soon as I heard Alex, I opened the door, and there was Nico laying on the floor, face down in a pile of Blood.

[Hannah Berner]

Alex Sienna, desperate to save her brother's life, calls for an ambulance.

[Alex Sienna]

At some point I had both Jen's phone and, and it was either my phone and my mom's phone, but I had two phones up to my ears.

[Hannah Berner]

The following audio from that 911 call paints a clear picture of the family's terror. Please be advised that what you're about to hear is upsetting.

[Acast Ad]

Please, my brother was shot.

[Hannah Berner]

Okay, I'm going to put you through the ambulance.

[Acast Ad]

Don't hang up.

[Aura Ad]

Please hurry up.

[Hannah Berner]

Please hurry up.

[Paige Desorbo]

Okay, everybody listen.

[Alex Sienna]

I had the other people saying, okay, this is, you need to do cpr.

[Acast Ad]

He said we have to turn him over. And I turned him over and he was so heavy. It took me and Jen so hard to get him to turn over. Jen was like out of her mind, distraught. I was doing chest compressions. I was covered in blood and I kept trying and I tried and I tried and I kept trying and I was praying to God, don't take my son. And then the paramedics showed up and they took over and the ambulance never moved. The ambulance never moved. I knew then my Nico was gone. I knew he was gone.

[Hannah Berner]

28 year old Nico Sienna is pronounced dead at the scene.

[Acast Ad]

He was shot 12 times.

[Alex Sienna]

Nico didn't have a.

[Hannah Berner]

The gunshots next door don't awaken Annette and Paul Duckett, but a slew of texts from their son do.

[Ash Kelly]

He texts his mother a string of text messages about how being adopted has somehow led him to repeat the failures of his biological parents in the actions he's taken. Then his mother is texting him back at the time saying, what have you done? His parents are aware something awful has happened, but clearly not understanding exactly what has happened and the magnitude of the crime that's occurred.

[Hannah Berner]

Eventually, Annette and Paul go outside. When they step outside, they're confronted by the devastation their son has caused. The street is covered in police tape and the blue and red lights of emergency vehicles. What's more, their neighbors, the Sienas, are sobbing and look like they're in shock. When Kathy sees the Duck, it's exit their home. The grieving mother storms over.

[Acast Ad]

I ran over to the neighbors and I was going to rip them apart because they did nothing. And the cop grabbed me at the last second and I did not care at that point because I knew my son was gone.

[Alex Sienna]

I don't know why Paul and Annette didn't do anything. I don't know if they were scared of him, of how Mark would react. I don't know if they just didn't want to deal with him. I truly don't know. But they are just as much to blame as the police are because they knew something was wrong with him. If Annette and Paul maybe took Mark to the doctor or had him committed, I wish they would have done something because my brother would likely still be alive.

[Hannah Berner]

Still reeling from the shock of Nico's tragic and violent murder, the Siennas are brought to the police station for questioning.

[Alex Sienna]

We were there for what felt like an eternity.

[Acast Ad]

And I'm trying to comfort Alex. And she said, mom, you gotta get away, because I. Blood all over me. And I couldn't even comfort Alex because I smelled of death.

[Alex Sienna]

Our house isn't my house anymore. It's not our home anymore. It's a crime scene.

[Acast Ad]

They brought us to this hotel, and we were here for two days because we were homeless. We had nowhere to go.

[Hannah Berner]

Despite his attempts to flee, Mark Duckett's whereabouts don't remain a mystery for long.

[Mark Duckett]

Mark Duckett drove to the mountain station, which is about 15 minutes away. He then left the gun on the front seat of his car, Walked into the mountain station and laid down on the ground in front with a spread eagled and surrendered and said, I just shot my neighbor and I'm turning myself in. So the fact that he acknowledged what he did was obviously a crime and necessitated the response of the police. That's why we arrested him.

[Hannah Berner]

Mark Duckett is charged with first degree murder. But the charges don't stick for long.

[Ash Kelly]

Mark's defense team decide that they're going to go with an approach. A defense of not criminally responsible. We know he was later diagnosed with paranoid symptoms, schizophrenia.

[Hannah Berner]

With this diagnosis, the court ultimately finds Mark not criminally responsible for his actions on the night he murdered Nico Sienna. It's a diagnosis not everyone agrees with.

[Alex Sienna]

Do I think Mark Duggett has something wrong with him? Sure. Do I think that he was having a schizophrenic episode the night that he killed my brother? Absolutely not. I wholeheartedly believe that he retaliated because we called the police. And that's why he did what he did. The turnaround time was too short. He had a legally registered gun. He had to go back to his house. He had to go get it, unlock it from his safe, and he had to get multiple rounds. Thought had to go into that. You don't just do it.

[Hannah Berner]

Mark is currently at a psychiatric facility, Getting the attention he needs to treat his schizophrenia. Annette and Paul Duckett still reside in their home, Living with the consequences of their son's Brutal violence.

[Ash Kelly]

Annette and Paul remain in contact and in support of Mark and in hopes of his rehabilitation.

[Mark Duckett]

Will he get out again? There is a possibility.

[Hannah Berner]

A possibility which leaves Kathy and her family in fear for their lives.

[Acast Ad]

If Mark is ever released, he's coming after my family, the rest of us. He's going to finish the job. That's my fear. I'm very, very scared.

[Hannah Berner]

Following the murder of her son, Kathy Sienna has filed a civil lawsuit against the police and the Duckett family.

[Acast Ad]

The justice system has just failed us on every level. I'm advocating for stricter gun laws. More follow up, more background checks. A deeper delve into the psyche of these people that are getting guns. This system has to be. There has to be connection between who has guns. So we've been advocating for, you know, awareness and awareness. If people need help, you can't ignore them. You need to get them the proper help they need. You can't just sit by and watch it go to the extreme like it did in this case, because then you know what? If you know and you stand by, you're withhold, you're contributing to the bad deed that's gonna happen.

[Hannah Berner]

While Kathy hopes to use her family's experience to make sure no one else suffers a similar devastating loss, there's no changing what happened to her son. The events that took place on the night of July 30th leave the Sienna family devastated.

[Alex Sienna]

Living through all of this has changed my life. I'm slowly but surely starting to, you know, come back to the person I was. But I'll. I'll never be the same. He was like my twin, you know, we had just started living together again. We hung out with the same group of people. We grew up together. And then that was taken away from me in an instant. So my life has changed for the worse. I'll never be the same.

[Acast Ad]

It's torturous for my family and to watch his friends, the weddings that he's not at. And now he is just a toast.

[Alex Sienna]

My brother won't be at my wedding. He'll never meet my future children. I've now surpassed him in age. You're not supposed to do that. You're not supposed to surpass, you know, your, your older siblings in age.

[Hannah Berner]

The community of West Mountain, once an idyllic neighborhood, is similarly left shattered by Nico Sienna's murder.

[Acast Ad]

You know, some people's lives will never be the same again. Jen moved out of the city. Hauser moved out of the city.

[Ash Kelly]

Hundreds and hundreds of people showing up to memorial services that were held for Nico. You know, people are naming their children after him now that they really are wanting to memorialize the joy that Nico brought into their lives.

[Hannah Berner]

Unable to live with the memories of that brutal night and the terror that led to it, Kathy sells her home and moves away. She and her family have lost a beloved son, son and brother, but are determined to keep his memory alive.

[Alex Sienna]

You know, Nico's spirit, it lives on. It lives on with us all the time and I try to live life to the fullest like he did.

[Acast Ad]

He was a beautiful soul and this is how I have to remember my son in these ashes. It's devastated. His whole family will never be the same, Never be the same broken heart forever.

[Hannah Berner]

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988-chat-988lifeline.org to learn how to get support for mental health, drug and alcohol issues. Visit findsupport.gov fear thy neighbor is produced by Cream Productions in association with Fremantle Media. For id. Subscribe and take a moment to leave a five star review on Apple Podcasts and watch Fear Thy Neighbor on ID and Max.

[Paige Desorbo]

This is Paige, the co host of Giggly Squad. I use Uber Eats for everything and I feel like people forget that you can truly order anything, especially living in New York City. It's why I love it. You can get Chinese food at any time of night, but it's not just for food. I order from CVS all the time. I'm always ordering from the grocery store. If a friend stops over, I have to order champagne. I also have this thing that whenever I travel, if I'm ever in a hotel room, I never feel like I'm missing something because I'll just Uber Eats it. The amount of times I've had to Uber Eats hair items like hairspray, deodorant, you name it, I've ordered it. On Uber Eats, you can get grocery alcohol everyday essentials in addition to restaurants and food you love. So in other words, get almost anything with Uber Eats. Order now for alcohol you must be legal drinking age. Please enjoy responsibly. Product availability varies by region. See app for details.

[Aura Ad]

This podcast is brought to you by Aura. Imagine waking up to find your bank account drained, bills for loans you never took out, a warrant for your arrest. All because someone stole stole your identity. Hackers aren't waiting. Why are you? That's why we're thrilled to partner with Aura. Your personal data is a goldmine for hackers and Aura helps lock it down. Aura monitors the dark web blocks data brokers from selling your information. Includes a VPN for private browsing and a password manager to secure your accounts before criminals break in. For a limited time, Aura is offering our listeners a 14 day free trial plus a dark web scan to check if your personal information has been leaked, all for free at aura.comsafety that's aura.comcomrade to sign up and start protecting yourself and your loved ones. That's a u r a.com safety terms apply. Check the site for details.

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Acast powers the World's best Podcasts Here's a show that we recommend.

[Ash Kelly]

Remember blowing into a video game cartridge.

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Or taping songs off the radio?

[Ash Kelly]

How about Saturday morning cartoons?

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Hey, AOL chat rooms.

[Ash Kelly]

Did we just age ourselves? Yep, we're Mike Finua and Charles McBee.

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Two comedians getting nostalgic and asking that nagging question. Are we old?

[Ash Kelly]

Relive the laughs, the cringes, and the nostalgia.

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Are we old? Podcast right here on acast. ACAST helps creators launch, grow, and monetize their podcasts everywhere. Acast.com Listen to this Acast show ad free on Amazon Music with your prime membership, or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.