Deadly Turn

Summary

Fear Thy Neighbor – Episode: "Deadly Turn"

Podcast: Fear Thy Neighbor
Host: ID
Date: July 13, 2026
Episode Theme:
A remote Northern California community is torn apart when new neighbors, driven by suspicion, escalate a simple dispute into a nightmare of paranoia, violence, and ultimately mass tragedy.

---

Episode Overview

This episode tells the haunting, true story of a neighborhood feud in Rancho Tehama, California, that spiraled out of control. What began as a petty conflict over property and suspicion devolved into months of intimidation, false accusations, and eventually, a shocking mass shooting that devastated families and scarred the entire community. Through firsthand accounts from victims, friends, neighbors, and investigators, the episode explores how fear, mistrust, and unchecked aggression between neighbors can lead to horrific consequences.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introducing Rancho Tehama and Its Residents

[01:40–03:39]

• Rancho Tehama is described as a remote, close-knit community; residents are drawn there for "peace, quiet, and privacy.”
• The community is welcoming when Kevin Neal and his wife Barbara Gleason move in.
• Initial interactions are friendly; neighbors share barbecues and foster a "watch each other's back" mentality.

"I was really lucky to have a neighbor that had the same mindset as me about what a community should be." – Frank Roman, P.I. (04:31)

The First Signs of Tension

[06:54–08:22]

• Danny Elliott, who lives nearby, earns a living collecting and selling scrap metal—a practice new neighbor Kevin Neal considers unsightly.
• Kevin quickly comes across as controlling, seeking to be the ‘block captain’ and making others uncomfortable.

"It seems like Kevin wanted to pick up the role of block captain. All of a sudden, he was kind of like a Mr. Know It All." – Frank Roman (07:16)

Escalation Begins – Aggression and Confrontations

[08:40–10:06]

• Kevin rides his dirt bike recklessly through the subdivision, nearly hitting children and kicking up rocks.
• When neighbors confront him, Kevin becomes defensive and irate.

"You almost hit our kids with that thing. Slow down. There's speed limits." – Johnny Palmatep (09:41)

Suspicion of Meth, Surveillance, and Accusations

[12:30–15:08]

• Kevin and Barbara claim to smell chemicals and become convinced that Danny is cooking meth in his home.
• They call the sheriff repeatedly; the police decline to respond without substantial evidence.

"Just the thought of Danny doing drugs and selling drugs and people coming in and out of the yard – Kevin would become extremely agitated." – Elena Shulman (13:41)

• Kevin begins installing surveillance cameras and recording neighbors, further aggravating tension.

Gunfire and Armed Escalation

[15:21–19:32]

• Kevin starts firing his AR-style rifles at night, alarming neighbors and frightening families.
• The local sheriff warns Kevin about false claims but fails to intervene in the gunfire escalation.

"That amount of gunfire going off, I thought for a second I was back in a war zone." – Frank Roman (16:08)

• The sense of safety is destroyed; children can no longer play outside.

The Violence Peaks: Stabbings and Shootings

[22:30–24:29]

• Kevin physically confronts Diana (Danny’s mother) and Hayley (Danny’s partner), resulting in Diana being punched and Hayley stabbed.
• Conflicting accounts follow; evidence and witness accounts support the victims’ version, leading to Kevin’s arrest and confiscation of his firearms.

"You would never think in like, a thousand years you're gonna have a crazy neighbor like this that's gonna take it to the next level." – Frank Roman (22:45)

Kevin’s Release and the Community’s Fear

[24:41–25:39]

• Kevin is released on bail ($150,000); neighbors feel unsafe and believe authorities haven’t done enough.
• Kevin quickly acquires more firearms and continues to escalate threats.
• Barbara, Kevin's wife, begs to leave; Kevin refuses, becoming more isolated and agitated.

"People are starting getting more worried now. Now you have a guy that just stabbed somebody and beat up somebody. He was going to face 15 years. He’s got nothing to lose." – Frank Roman (25:57)

---

The Mass Shooting: November 14, 2017

Main Tragedy Segment: [28:54–36:30]

The Attack

[28:54–33:52]

• Kevin Neal embarks on a shooting rampage, targeting neighbors and random victims on his drive.
• He attempts to ambush children and staff at Rancho Tehama Elementary School.

"I seen it was Kevin. I told my kids to get down. And then I seen the first bullet coming through right in front of my face." – Tiffany Palmatep (29:35)

• Thanks to the quick action of school staff, over 100 children are saved as they hide from the gunfire.

"School secretary bursts through the doors and hustles everyone indoors." (30:46–30:59)

• Coy Ferreira, a parent at the school, describes the terror inside:

"It just felt like a war zone in there. Felt my heart hit the gut telling me that this is it. This is the time that I'm actually gonna die. Along with half a dozen students." – Coy Ferreira (32:12)

The Aftermath

[33:52–36:30]

• Danny Elliott and his mother Diana are found murdered at home – Kevin's first victims that morning.
• Five people in total are killed; six children and six adults are wounded, including neighbors and the Pomatep family.
• Kevin kills his own wife, Barbara, hides her body, then dies by suicide as police close in.
• The community is left stunned, traumatized, but unified in support for victims and survivors.

"Violence of this nature will never leave you. It's always good to move forward. I mean, what else can you do?" – Frank Roman (36:30)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "He was more worried about his mother than his own self." – Frank Roman on his injured son in the ER (34:33)
• "Gage got the worst of the whole deal. He's lost his whole family." – Jesse Sanders (36:17)
• "Rancho Tehama came together. They didn’t only take care of my family, they took care of everybody… Violence of this nature will never leave you." – Frank Roman (36:30)
• "Don't know your neighbors until you really know your neighbors." – Coy Ferreira (22:18)

---

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:40] – Introduction: Rancho Tehama’s community and new arrivals
• [08:40] – The rift begins: reckless dirt biking and child endangerment
• [13:01] – Meth suspicion and start of surveillance
• [15:21] – Gunfire begins, neighbors arm themselves
• [22:30] – Physical assaults: stabbing and shooting incidents
• [24:41] – Kevin’s arrest, bail, and escalation
• [28:54] – Mass shooting rampage begins
• [31:17] – School lockdown and parent/child terror
• [33:52] – Discovery of first murder victims
• [36:03] – Aftermath and community response

---

Episode Tone & Language

The tone is tense, empathetic, and suspenseful, with firsthand voices conveying fear, confusion, and heartbreak. Investigators, neighbors, and friends offer raw, unscripted insight into how an ordinary dispute ignited irrevocable tragedy—turning peaceful isolation into an enduring nightmare.

---

Episode Conclusion

"Deadly Turn" is a cautionary account of how paranoia, unchecked fears, and institutional inaction can fracture communities and cost innocent lives. The episode delivers both a memorial for the victims and a warning for listeners everywhere: sometimes, the people you should fear most are the ones living right next door.

---

Transcript

[Narrator]

Hey true crime fans, it's Janice from I D. If you're a fan of this podcast, it would mean a lot if you could leave a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It really helps the show. Thanks and enjoy the episode.

[Alltrails Advertiser]

Ready to experience something new? Alltrails helps you find your next hike. Whether you're looking for something nearby or planning a trip. Read reviews from real people like you to choose your trail and know what to expect. You can also download the map in case service gets spotty. Plan and experience your next hike with Alltrails, the app for exploring the outdoors. Download it today and find your outside

[Bombas/AWS Advertiser]

You're a pro at running your life. At committing to your workout, at showing up every day. At Bombas, we're pros too. Pros at making socks. Our sport assortment has specialized socks for whatever sport you're committed to running, hiking, golf, Pilates, and so much more. Made with sweat, wicking yarns, blister fighting details and targeted arch support. Bombas Sport is pro level Socks from the Pros of Socks. For another pro, you go to bombas.comaudio and use code audio for 20% off your first purchase. That's bombas.com and use code audio a lot of AI gets built, not all of it gets run. AWS is where AI goes to production, from your idea to full scale deployment, built on the AI that runs Amazon's infrastructure. Invent faster, launch with with confidence. Scale without limits. Visit aws.com AI AI that's ready when you are

[Narrator]

Most violent crimes that capture the public's imagination are about serial killers, mass shooters, or crimes of passion. Yet some of the most shocking conflicts we encounter are between everyday neighbors and ordinary neighborhoods. 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. We're in an isolated Northern California town where two neighboring families are all about camaraderie, barbecues, happy kids, and helping hands when a new couple moves onto the street. The welcome mat is out and the grill is fired up to greet them. But it's quickly established that the latest arrivals aren't big on socializing. They are, however, very big on suspicion, particularly that one of their neighbors is cooking methamphetamine. Their efforts to prove it hit them against each other, causing a rift that sees warning shots, armed surveillance, and threats that culminate into a rampage of incomprehensible violence. This is fear thy neighbor deadly turn deep in the Northern California woods. There's a remote community where people come to get away from it all. Here's journalist Elena Shulman and private investigator Frank Roman.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It's called Rancho Tehama, officially, but a lot of the people out there just call it the Ranch.

[Elena Shulman]

It's a very hidden community, if you will. It's a destination point. It's not somewhere you just drive by on a Sunday afternoon.

[Narrator]

Danny Elliott and his mother, Diana Steele, are longtime residents of this hillside hamlet. Living on a street called Bobcat Lane, friend Jesse Sanders describes Danny.

[Jesse Sanders]

Danny was the most unique person I ever met. Always had a joke, always had a smile, and never worried about nothing.

[Narrator]

Danny and Diana are raising Danny's young son, Gage, with the help of his girlfriend, Haley.

[Jesse Sanders]

Haley. She was awesome with Gage. Danny had lost Gage's mom in a car accident about five years, six years prior. So Haley was basically his mom.

[Narrator]

Their closest neighbors and good friends also came to Rancho Tehama for a fresh start.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Hey, what's going on? Hey, Johnny.

[Narrator]

Johnny Palmatep served nine years in the US Air Force before moving here with his wife, Tiffany and their two boys a few years ago. Here's Johnny.

[Frank Roman]

I just wanted to peace and quiet, you know? That's what I was in search of after the war.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Hey, don't forget, me and Tiff are grilling later, so don't forget to come by. Oh, yeah, we're messing for the world.

[Frank Roman]

His backyard is right behind our backyard. So we kind of made, like, a pact of, hey, you're gonna watch my property, I'm gonna watch your property. If there's any issue, we'll give each other a call. I was really lucky to have a neighbor that had the same mindset as me about what a community should be.

[Johnny Palmatep]

So you guys meet the newbies yet?

[Narrator]

Oh, we're just on our way over to meet them.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Oh, we'll come with you, Tiff. Let's go.

[Narrator]

Kevin Neal and his wife, Barbara Gleason have just arrived on Bobcat Lane. Like most others who land here, they seek the promise of a calmer existence. Frank Roman knows Kevin well.

[Elena Shulman]

Kevin said this is our dream home. Extremely private. And that's what Barbara and Kevin liked about that community.

[Narrator]

Kevin refurbishes motorcycles, and Barbara works at a pizza parlor.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Whoa.

[Jesse Sanders]

It's the whole welcoming committee.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Welcome to Bobcat Lane. I'm Danny. This is my mother, Diana. Hi.

[Narrator]

Pleased to meet you.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Hey.

[Jesse Sanders]

This is my wife, Barb.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Hi there, Johnny.

[Frank Roman]

When I first met Kevin, you would easily confuse him with a college professor or school principal. He was A very normal guy.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Hi, Johnny.

[Frank Roman]

Nice to meet you.

[Alltrails Advertiser]

Hi, Tiffany.

[Narrator]

I'm Barb. Tiffany Pamotep offers her impression of Barbara.

[Tiffany Palmatep]

The first time I met her, she seems like a nice person.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Nice machine you got there. Can't wait to get this thing roaring. Kind of a hobby of mine. Perk for out here, right?

[Tiffany Palmatep]

Yeah.

[Elena Shulman]

Kevin says, why do you think I moved out here? I want privacy. I want to work on my motorcycles. That was his dream.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Speaking of perfect, I'm actually having a barbecue. I live right over there. Why don't you guys come by tonight?

[Tiffany Palmatep]

Why not?

[Johnny Palmatep]

We'll stop by after my shift. Terrific. We'll see you there.

[Coy Ferreira]

Perfect.

[Johnny Palmatep]

See you. They seem nice.

[Narrator]

Johnny and Tiffany are eager to show their new neighbors a little Rancho Tehama hospitality.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Hey, what's going on, bud? Glad you can come. Hi there. Nice to see you.

[Narrator]

So glad you guys can make it. Kevin and Barbara are introduced to Danny Elliott's girlfriend, Hayley, along with both family's kids.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Hi, nice to meet you. Nice to meet you.

[Narrator]

The couple then catches sight of Danny in his yard by his vintage sports car, adding new inventory to a pile of scrap metal.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Hey, I'll be over in a bit. What's he doing? Oh, he just stores scrap metal in the yard. That's his hustle.

[Narrator]

For Danny, collecting scrap is a way to make a living. But to Kevin, it's an eyesore.

[Johnny Palmatep]

That can't be good for property value. Well, no one around here really minds, so don't worry about it. You should probably do it somewhere else.

[Frank Roman]

It seems like Kevin wanted to pick up the role of block captain. All of a sudden, he was kind of like a Mr. Know It All.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Danny, Fergie's getting cold.

[Narrator]

In that moment, things with Kevin and Barbara take an odd turn.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Actually, you know what?

[Jesse Sanders]

We should get going.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Yeah, I had a long day.

[Narrator]

We really just came by to drop the salad off. Thanks for inviting us.

[Johnny Palmatep]

All right.

[Narrator]

The neighbor's warm welcome gets a cold shoulder from the newcomers, who, for some reason, have become instantly suspicious of Danny.

[Johnny Palmatep]

How does a scrap monkey afford a car like that?

[Narrator]

Beats me.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Something more going on here.

[Narrator]

As Kevin and Barbara continue to settle in, the people next door continue to reach out, including, with mechanical advice on Kevin's dirt bike from Danny.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Morning, Kev. She's a beauty.

[Elena Shulman]

Yeah, she is.

[Frank Roman]

Danny was known for a lot of things. He could get an old tractor cranking in a matter of minutes. He's really talented.

[Johnny Palmatep]

You know, if you tighten up that right there, you'll run a lot quieter.

[Elena Shulman]

Yeah, I got this.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Thanks.

[Elena Shulman]

Kevin was a mechanic. He was very good at taking things apart and putting them back together. He wanted to be alone. He didn't want to talk to neighbors.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Besides, I like it loud.

[Frank Roman]

At that point, you know, his behavior and everything just started changing. Kevin would ride around with his dirt bike full speed, swerving all over the place like a maniac.

[Jesse Sanders]

Aggressive. Very hardcore. Not afraid to wreck whatsoever. No fear.

[Narrator]

It's a sport meant for open trails, not neighborhood streets. Especially with children in them.

[Frank Roman]

Oh. Gage is about the same age as my 7 year old at the time. And Kevin went past him going at least 40, 50 miles an hour.

[Narrator]

Gage leaps out of the way and lands hard on the ground.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Oh, my. I got them. You okay? Come here. Gage, are you okay? Your knees are okay? Yeah. How about your hands?

[Alltrails Advertiser]

You all right?

[Johnny Palmatep]

Let me see what's going on. You guys okay? Yeah, I think so. What happened?

[Narrator]

The children are fine, but the adults are furious. Johnny sounds off as the dirt bike

[Frank Roman]

was going past the kids. I mean, he's kicking up rocks and shooting them in the face. I mean, you're hurting my kids now.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Hey, what the hell's your problem, man? You almost hit our kids with that thing. Slow down. There's speed limits. Don't tell me what to do. Get off my driveway.

[Narrator]

Private investigator Frank Roman tells us the confrontation didn't end well.

[Elena Shulman]

There was some verbal exchange and Kevin would tell him, mind your own business.

[Johnny Palmatep]

I said get off my driveway now. What is wrong with everyone around here? All we wanted was some peace and

[Narrator]

quiet, but things are only going to get louder.

[Vanta Advertiser]

Your team just added its 67th AI tool. And also your 67th security blind spot. The good news? The Vanta agent works like a GRC engineer in the background, finding every app your team uses, scoring the risk, and drafting fixes for you. Vanta is the platform used by over 16,000 fast moving companies like Ramp, Cursor and Harvey, who are shaping the future with AI and staying ahead of AI risk.

[Bombas/AWS Advertiser]

Get [e-mail] Most AI projects never make it past the demo. They show real promise in a controlled environment, then stall somewhere between proof of concept and real world deployment. The bottleneck isn't imagination. It isn't budget. It's the path from pilot to production. AWS helps you walk that path. Not someday. Now. Don't just build AI, run it. Visit aws.com AI AI that's ready when you are.

[Car Advertiser]

It's time to set your sights on higher peaks to scale, deeper rivers to cross, and greater dreams to pursue. It's Time to embrace the impossible with Defender. Built with legendary capability and tested on some of the most difficult terrain, Defender defines tough luxury. From the sleek two door Defender 90 to the purposeful Defender 110 to the Defender 130 with seating for up to eight, there's endless potential ahead. Explore the full Defender lineup@land roverusa.com still

[Bombas/AWS Advertiser]

waiting in line again. That's time you will never get back. Save time and money with stamps.com over 4 million businesses have skipped the line with stamps.com join them to save up to 90% off carrier rates from your computer or phone right now. Print postage for certified mail, registered mail and packages in seconds. Then schedule a pickup right from your home or office for a limited time. Go to stamps.com and use code podcast for a free welcome gift. Taxes and fees apply.

[Narrator]

Danny's friend Jesse Sanders speaks to Kevin Neal's sense of entitlement.

[Jesse Sanders]

He looked shocked that somebody would actually step in and ask him not to be doing what he's doing.

[Elena Shulman]

This was escalating. This was going to get bad. It was just a matter of time.

[Frank Roman]

I had a bad feeling.

[Narrator]

The new arrivals have brought tension into the community. But Kevin and Barbara sensed something else in the air. What is that smell?

[Elena Shulman]

When it became nighttime with the windows open, the breeze would come down through that little valley and all of a sudden this smoke would start coming into their home.

[Johnny Palmatep]

I'm going to be sick.

[Elena Shulman]

It was so strong that Barbara was vomiting.

[Narrator]

Kevin is pretty sure he knows where the smoke is coming from.

[Frank Roman]

I mean, Danny's front gate is approximately 75ft to 100ft from Kevin's front gate. They could see each other. They could hear each other.

[Narrator]

And it isn't just the odor he and his wife find disturbing.

[Elena Shulman]

They saw a gentleman driving up in a vehicle. There was no party going on. There's no barbecuing going on here. What is this? And that's when Kevin went over there to Danny's house to see what the heck he was doing. And he realized that it was what he believed. Methamphetamine. Smoke from cooking methamphetamine.

[Johnny Palmatep]

I don't believe this.

[Elena Shulman]

Just the thought of Danny doing drugs and selling drugs and people coming in and out of the yard and Kevin would become extremely agitated.

[Johnny Palmatep]

911, what's your emergency? My neighbors are cooking meth. What?

[Elena Shulman]

They called the sheriff's office.

[Narrator]

Did you observe this firsthand?

[Johnny Palmatep]

No, but I'm not an idiot.

[Elena Shulman]

And the sheriff's office told him they had no units to respond out there unless it was an emergency.

[Johnny Palmatep]

I'll call it in.

[Narrator]

But at this time of night, emergencies get priority. Kevin moved to Bobcat Lane to escape the hazards of urban life. Now he believes he's living next door to a greater hazard. But all isn't necessarily what it seems.

[Frank Roman]

Danny was not cooking meth. I could see his backyard. His house is a small little house. Kevin was just making it up.

[Johnny Palmatep]

What is his problem?

[Narrator]

Yet nothing will shake Kevin's conviction that Danny is manufacturing drugs. And he sets out to prove it. If he can catch his neighbor on tape, police will have to do something about it.

[Elena Shulman]

Kevin said, we need to put some cameras in there. And that's how that camera situation came about. One of the cameras was mounted on his house in the front towards Diane's home. And another one was on a fence. The video captured vehicles coming in.

[Narrator]

None of the neighbors are happy about the cameras. And Danny is livid when he discovers Kevin recording him on his cell phone.

[Elena Shulman]

One incident, which Kevin did capture on video, Danny was at his fence. And he would go over the fence like this and just stare at him.

[Narrator]

This is the actual audio of Kevin.

[Frank Roman]

He's got a blue bandana on.

[Coy Ferreira]

He's flashing me gang signs. I'm just gonna shut the camera off. You've seen.

[Johnny Palmatep]

I mean, this is what he does the entire time.

[Narrator]

Tiffany recalls how Kevin upped the stakes in the conflict.

[Tiffany Palmatep]

There was a lot of shooting. It's just a weird feeling, hearing gunshots.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Mom. Mom, that's okay.

[Narrator]

Both Johnny and Danny armed themselves and head outside to investigate.

[Elena Shulman]

It was rapid fire, and you knew that that was ar. Danny knew it was an ar. They were afraid.

[Frank Roman]

That amount of gunfire going off, I thought for a second I was back in a war zone. It was Kevin. He's looking for every target he could find. This is crazy. The amount of money it costs for 3 to 400 rounds is not cheap for any rifle. If someone's willing to pay that much money just to have a good time like that, to me, I knew right away this is a prelude to something bigger. I saw what you call a poisonous plant waiting to be born.

[Elena Shulman]

So now the frustration is building up with them.

[Narrator]

Barbara Gleason exits her home and sees Johnny and Danny observing her husband from some bushes.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Kevin, look out.

[Narrator]

Kevin turns his rifle on the intruders.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Whoa, whoa, easy there.

[Narrator]

Weapons are lowered and cooler heads prepare.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Prevail.

[Narrator]

But now no one feels safe on either side. And Kevin's fixation on Danny is about to fan the flames even higher.

[Frank Roman]

In the very beginning, they were okay with each other. They Said hi to each other, no big deal. Then it seems like Danny was his target.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Good day, sir. We need to search the premises.

[Narrator]

After repeated calls from Kevin, police decide to investigate his allegations.

[Johnny Palmatep]

I don't know what this is about, but, yeah, sure.

[Jesse Sanders]

They were told that meth amphetamines were being cooked on the property.

[Frank Roman]

The county came out, took pictures. He told me he was showing them the whole entire property. And there's no sign Danny cooking meth in his home at all.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Thank you very much for a cooperation. We'll be on our way. I can't believe you're getting away with this.

[Frank Roman]

Kevin did believe in his own mind, like it was true and factual. But he had no evidence of any kind of.

[Johnny Palmatep]

You did this. I knew it was you. Why don't you mind your business? They've been harassing my family since they got here.

[Narrator]

If Kevin and Barbara think the police will solve their problems, they're wrong.

[Johnny Palmatep]

We gotta have a talk. But. What? You can't go around making false accusations like that.

[Coy Ferreira]

What?

[Johnny Palmatep]

I'm not the one cooking meth. I just came out of their house. They're clean. They're clean.

[Frank Roman]

The sheriff then mentioned to Kevin, if you make a false complaint one more time, we're gonna arrest you. Well, that's when he started getting really pissed.

[Johnny Palmatep]

He has criminals driving up and down this lane at all hours of the night. Dangerous criminals. Yeah. I need you to stop right now.

[Frank Roman]

Kevin just got a little bit more irate. I think after his plan of trying to get the cops to raid Danny's house failed. He was proven wrong and he was embarrassed.

[Johnny Palmatep]

What's wrong with everyone? What's wrong with you? What is wrong with everybody?

[Narrator]

Kevin is still convinced he's right, yet he realizes he and Barbara are entirely on their own.

[Elena Shulman]

Kevin believed that the police did not like him. Kevin believed that the police thought he was crazy. I believe that's why he went out there in his backyard with that AR15. To let people know I'm armed. Don't come over here and hurt me or my family.

[Tiffany Palmatep]

There was a lot of shooting the whole night, Mom. You never know if bullet's gonna fly through the walls.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Are you freaking kidding me right now?

[Frank Roman]

He's doing things that are against people's, you know, well, being. There's no need to be shooting 300 rounds a night while people have to go to work the next day.

[Johnny Palmatep]

He's losing his damn mind.

[Frank Roman]

All right, that's enough.

[Narrator]

This time, it's Danny's turn to make a call.

[Elena Shulman]

Danny had called the sheriff's office, as did Diane. The sheriff's office did respond.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Heard calls about shots. No shooting past 11. You'll come down here and harass about shooting cans on my property, but not my neighbors, about cooking meth.

[Elena Shulman]

Kevin was so angry at law enforcement, bitter at law enforcement, that they wouldn't help him.

[Johnny Palmatep]

No shots past 11.

[Narrator]

Quiet returns to the neighborhood. But that doesn't mean peace is restored.

[Frank Roman]

Danny tells me, well, at least it's over. Then I kind of turned to him and said, for now. People like that don't give up that easily.

[Narrator]

Johnny's right. As soon as the police leave, Kevin starts up again.

[Jesse Sanders]

No matter how many people called the cops to tell me there was gunshots going off Rancho, they did nothing about it. So they just quit calling. It became pointless to call them.

[Narrator]

Storm clouds are gathering over Bobcat Lane, and the devastation they'll unleash draws near.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Yeah, bud, Dad's gonna drive you to school, okay?

[Narrator]

Friend Jesse Sanders tells us Danny will do whatever he must to protect his young son, Gage.

[Jesse Sanders]

Gage was no longer allowed to play outside. For at least eight months, he wasn't allowed to play outside because he wasn't safe.

[Johnny Palmatep]

I'm getting so sick of this.

[Jesse Sanders]

Danny didn't like violence, but you could see it weighing on him.

[Narrator]

Neighbors Johnny and Tiffany Pomatepper allied with Danny and also take precautions.

[Frank Roman]

We couldn't even invite friends to come up because we couldn't guarantee their safety to have, like, a barbecue or whatnot. At that point, I tell my wife, you know, I want her to text me every time she goes and leaves the house, drop the kids off.

[Tiffany Palmatep]

I avoided Kevin altogether.

[Narrator]

As the street turns against him, Kevin maintains his surveillance on Danny.

[Jesse Sanders]

Kevin would. He would stalk the property daily and walk the fence line and cock his gun so he could hear it.

[Frank Roman]

They could see each other. They could hear each other. Just like a hunter, waiting to hear the next move. Every so often, they'll drive by. They'll flip them off, too.

[Narrator]

Private investigator Frank Roman speaks to how bad things are getting.

[Elena Shulman]

The hate built up over months, there was hatred between those neighbors. Kevin was growing frustration, and he would look me right square in the eye and say, do you understand me? I am not leaving this neighborhood.

[Narrator]

Even though they don't live on Bobcat Lane, local residents like Coy Ferreira get pulled into the feud.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Amy, how you doing, man? Is that the guy with the assault rifle?

[Narrator]

Yeah, it is.

[Johnny Palmatep]

I swear, I'm at my breaking point.

[Coy Ferreira]

Don't know your neighbors until you really know your neighbors.

[Narrator]

I guess one day on his surveillance Rounds. Kevin encounters Danny's mother, Diana Steele, and his partner Haley, walking near the fence line.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Get off my property. This is not your property. I'm so sick of you and your family. Oh, for crying out you loud.

[Narrator]

The next thing anyone knows, Diana has been punched in the face and Hayley is stabbed in the stomach.

[Frank Roman]

You would never think in like, a thousand years you're gonna have a crazy neighbor like this that's gonna take it to the next level.

[Narrator]

The feud has drawn first blood. As Hayley is rushed to the hospital, police try to piece together who attacked who. It was him.

[Johnny Palmatep]

I'm telling you, it's him. She's crazy. They tried to kill me.

[Narrator]

He came at us with a knife.

[Narrator/Reporter]

A little bit of a he said. She said, get off my property.

[Elena Shulman]

Kevin said Haley and Diane would always harass me. He told them to get off the property, for crying out loud. And it escalated from there. Kevin said Haley had pulled a knife.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Do you know what you're doing to my family?

[Elena Shulman]

He tried to take the knife from her.

[Narrator]

Journalist Elena Shulman continues the story Kevin told deputies.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Oh, she must have somehow stabbed herself in this incident.

[Johnny Palmatep]

She had a knife. What was I supposed to do? I defended myself. That whole family's nuts right down. That's Diana's kid.

[Narrator]

Diana has a vastly different version of events.

[Johnny Palmatep]

That's not true at all. He's a liar. He attacked us. We were just walking through the bush.

[Narrator]

Danny's mother came. Contends they were not trespassing on Kevin's property, but they were dodging his bullets.

[Narrator/Reporter]

He apparently shot at them, not hitting anybody. Kevin said he was just shooting at some cans, like target practice.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Tell me why. Didn't do anything.

[Narrator]

Evidence supports the women's version of events.

[Narrator/Reporter]

They did find bullet holes near where the two of them had been walking. So pretty much concluded that Kevin's story didn't quite add up as far as how he was the victim.

[Narrator]

Not only is Kevin arrested, all his guns are confiscated. But the war on Bobcat Lane is far from over. Kevin's family quickly posts his bail, and he's released.

[Elena Shulman]

His bail is pretty high. $150,000.

[Jesse Sanders]

He was home from jail before he got back from the hospital.

[Johnny Palmatep]

How is he even allowed back here?

[Frank Roman]

At that point, Danny got really upset, and things escalated from there. After he got arrested, boy, did the volume go up.

[Narrator]

The police may have taken Kevin's firearms, but that doesn't mean he can't get more. He does.

[Elena Shulman]

He received AR in the mail order and put it together.

[Johnny Palmatep]

This one's for you. Daddy and your own family.

[Frank Roman]

Kevin's voice was very unique, so the whole entire neighborhood is listening. Danny did seem very scared of the whole idea of this crazy guy shooting in the middle of the night, screaming threats of, I'm gonna kill you and your family. I'm gonna hunt down your boy. He didn't know what to do.

[Johnny Palmatep]

You wanna mess with my boy Kevin? You're gonna get through me first.

[Narrator]

The tension is becoming too much for Kevin's spouse, Barbara Gleason.

[Johnny Palmatep]

You know he's got a gun too, right? You know he can come back here. That's enough. I can't take it anymore. I want to move. We're not moving. Not another word.

[Frank Roman]

People are starting getting more worried now. Now you have a guy that just stabbed somebody and beat up somebody. He was going to face 15 years. He's got nothing to lose.

[Elena Shulman]

The pressure was mounting on Kevin. And maybe with just cause, he had the realization that nobody would believe him. He believed that Barbara was starting to question. And I could see his voice would escalate. He would get red in the face. He would get very agitated. There was a hatred I started to see that he had for Danny.

[Narrator]

Kevin Neal's dream of a peaceful country life is dead. And he vows revenge on his neighbors and their families. No one could ever have imagined how far he would take his grudge. But they're about to find out.

[Alltrails Advertiser]

Ready to experience something new? Alltrails helps you find your next hike, whether you're looking for something nearby or planning a trip. Read reviews from real people like you to choose your trail and know what to expect. You can also download the map in case service gets spotty. Plan and experience your next hike with Alltrails, the app for exploring the outdoors. Download it today and find your outside.

[Bombas/AWS Advertiser]

A lot of AI gets built, not all of it gets run. AWS is where AI goes to production. From your idea to full scale deployment, built on the AI that runs Amazon's infrastructure. Invent faster launch with confidence, scale without limits. Visit aws.com AI AI that's ready when you are.

[Narrator]

Hi, I'm Angie Hicks, co founder of angie and one thing I've learned is that you buy a house, but you make it a home. Because with every fix, update and renovation, it becomes a little more your own. So you need all your jobs done well. For nearly 30 years, Angie has helped

[Narrator/Reporter]

millions of homeowners hire skilled pros for

[Narrator]

the projects that matter, from plumbing to electrical, roof repair to deck upgrades. So leave it to the pros who will get your jobs done. Well, Angie the one you trust to find the ones you trust.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Find a pro for your [e-mail] Buying

[Vanta Advertiser]

a car is a big deal, so you shouldn't go in blind with the Cargurus app. The new dealership mode is like having a personal cheat sheet in your pocket. Instantly compare the car in front of you to similar options. See deal ratings and price history, and estimate your final price. It's no wonder Cargurus is the number one most visited car shopping site according to SimilarWeb's estimated traffic data. Buy or sell your next car today with [e-mail] Go to CarGurus.com to make sure your big deal is the best deal. That's C-A-R G U R U S.com CarGurus.com.

[Narrator]

On November 14, 2017, resident Coy Ferreira drives his daughter down the highway to her elementary school.

[Coy Ferreira]

It was 7:55 me and my daughter arrived at Rancho Taham School.

[Narrator]

Danny Elliott's son Gage is already there.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Hey, Gage, what's up, buddy? How was the game?

[Tiffany Palmatep]

Pretty good.

[Johnny Palmatep]

It was good.

[Narrator]

Tiffany Pomatep isn't far behind.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Let's go. Gonna be late.

[Tiffany Palmatep]

That morning, I packed my kids in the car and, you know, I drove my kids to school like normal.

[Narrator]

But this is not going to be a normal day. Tiffany looks in her rear view to see a truck barreling.

[Tiffany Palmatep]

He pulled alongside me. I seen it was Kevin. I told my kids to get down. And then I seen the first bullet coming through right in front of my face, hitting the window.

[Car Advertiser]

Get down.

[Tiffany Palmatep]

I had blood coming out of my mouth. I was just coughing up blood. I wasn't aware of what my injuries were. I just know that I couldn't breathe.

[Narrator]

And Kevin is just getting started, says Johnny Pomatep.

[Frank Roman]

He goes towards the school because a couple days before, you know, he mentioned he wanted to kill Gage.

[Narrator]

At the school, private investigator Frank Roman tells us that on the way there, the shooter pounds bullets into other cars on the road.

[Elena Shulman]

Well, there was another vehicle coming toward him and he opened fire on that vehicle.

[Narrator]

Soon, Kevin pulls up at Rancho Tehama Elementary School and climbs out of his truck.

[Frank Roman]

So now he's going on his hunt.

[Coy Ferreira]

And all of a sudden I heard a pop sound like a firecracker.

[Narrator]

School secretary bursts through the doors and hustles everyone indoors.

[Johnny Palmatep]

Everybody come on inside the school, please. Now. Go hide behind your desk. Come on, quickly. We're going into school right now. Everybody come out quickly, quickly, quickly.

[Coy Ferreira]

All the students ran into the classrooms.

[Narrator/Reporter]

They had just gone on Lockdown after hearing some of the shots, but nothing

[Narrator]

can stop what's coming.

[Coy Ferreira]

And here we have six year old sevens who have no idea what's going on and they're just hiding underneath a desk. And in my mind I was thinking that he's going to pick us off one by one.

[Narrator]

From his hiding place amongst the terrified children, Coy Ferreira catches sight of Kevin looming up outside.

[Coy Ferreira]

His eyes were black. I mean, like he wasn't there. He was like looking into complete darkness. And that's when the first gunshots started firing through the window. And that's when I knew that this was actually for real.

[Narrator]

Kevin is taking his vengeance out on everyone in town and their children. Here's actual audio from distraught parents.

[Johnny Palmatep]

They're shooting at Rancho Sahama school right now. I got kids. Okay, okay, can you please send somebody? They've been shooting at the little school. It's not big. They don't have protection. Okay, we've got multiple other 911s.

[Jesse Sanders]

We're taking the shooting call.

[Coy Ferreira]

It just felt like a war zone in there. Felt my heart hit the gut telling me that this is it. This is the time that I'm actually gonna die. Along with half a dozen students. There was multiple shots coming from the direction of the school and everybody knows where the school's at.

[Narrator]

Jesse Sanders lives nearby and hears the gunfire.

[Jesse Sanders]

I ran about a mile in less than 30 seconds. I don't know how, but I did.

[Narrator]

He gets Kevin in his eye line and calls out to him, hey, over here.

[Jesse Sanders]

I just told him, hey, why don't you shoot over here instead of shooting at all those women and kids, you punk ass. You know, just whatever I could think to make him mad enough to not focus on all the kids inside. And then his gun jammed. He just started screaming at the top of his lungs like, ah, like, like he was so mad that no bullets hit me. He just stopped. All of a sudden, he took off.

[Narrator]

The shooter jumps back into his vehicle, but doesn't get far before police arrive and block the the school exit.

[Elena Shulman]

When he realized he couldn't get through the gate and the sheriff's department was on him, Kevin took his own life.

[Coy Ferreira]

It was about 15 minutes later I heard the last bullets finally stopped.

[Narrator/Reporter]

And that was it. All of it happened in less than an hour.

[Narrator]

I believe law enforcement credits the quick thinking of the school secretary for saving the lives of more than 100 children that day, including Danny Elliott's seven year old son, Gage.

[Coy Ferreira]

And out of nowhere he just says

[Narrator]

he was coming for me and I

[Coy Ferreira]

Was like, what do you mean?

[Tiffany Palmatep]

That means they're all dead.

[Coy Ferreira]

He just said his dad and his grandma are dead.

[Johnny Palmatep]

I'm sure everyone's fine.

[Frank Roman]

Gage.

[Coy Ferreira]

No.

[Narrator]

Police race to the Elliot family home and are confronted with a horrific sight.

[Coy Ferreira]

He was right. You were dead.

[Narrator]

Authorities believe Danny and his mother Diana were Kevin's first victims that morning. Danny's partner Haley is unharmed as she was out of town at the time. Kevin's rampage results in the deaths of five people, including some he shot on his way to the school. Journalist Elena Shulman weighs in.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Kevin was apparently just driving around and shooting at random. That's the best deputies could figure, given who the victims were and no seeming connection.

[Narrator]

An additional six adults and six children are wounded, including Tiffany Palmatep and one of her sons.

[Frank Roman]

I walk into the er, my 10 year old, he was laying there. He said, dad, I got shot in the leg twice, but I need you to check on Mom. He was more worried about his mother than his own self.

[Tiffany Palmatep]

I was listed in critical condition. They said that my lungs was bleeding, it was collapsed, my scapula was shattered, and my small intestines were cut up in three different parts.

[Frank Roman]

An hour became 18 hours, and fortunately she came out of the surgery okay. Everything was good, but it was tough to see your wife injured like that. I feel we were one of the lucky families.

[Narrator]

The carnage sends the community spiraling. And the gruesome discovery of Barbara Gleason's body offers the best clue as to what made her husband finally snap.

[Frank Roman]

I think when he took Barb's life, he done lost everything.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It really all started the night before.

[Narrator]

It's believed Barbara's insistence that they leave Rancho Tehama sent his fury over the edge.

[Johnny Palmatep]

I want to move. We're not moving. Not another.

[Tiffany Palmatep]

She was afraid to, but she doesn't want to say anything.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Authorities said that Kevin shot his wife at home.

[Elena Shulman]

Kevin cut a hole in the floor of their kitchen, threw her in the hole and covered her up with a tarp.

[Narrator]

Jesse Sanders mourns the loss of his dear friend, Danny Elliot.

[Jesse Sanders]

Danny and me been through so many situations that, you know, you can't build a bond like that with anybody else. He was my best friend. I mean, I miss him every day.

[Narrator]

Danny's son Gage is sent to live with relatives.

[Jesse Sanders]

Gage got the worst of the whole deal. He's lost his whole family.

[Narrator]

Since the killing spree, Kevin Neal's house has been bulldozed to the ground. And people on Bobcat Lane have begun the hard journey towards healing my little community.

[Frank Roman]

Rancho Tehama came together. They didn't only take care of my family, they took care of everybody. The kids at school, even if they weren't injured, violence of this nature will never leave you. It's always good to move forward. I mean, what else can you do?

[Narrator]

This podcast is produced by Cream Productions in association with Fremantle Media and id. You can check out Fear Thy Neighbor on Max Discovery and id.

[Bombas/AWS Advertiser]

Are you getting rewarded for paying your rent and mortgage? If not, you need to check out Bilt. Bilt members earn points on every housing payment, which can be redeemed for flights, Lyft rides, Amazon.com purchases and more. Bilt also gives members access to its agentic neighborhood Concierge in the Bilt app. It's connected to your home and over 50,000 merchant partners so you can ask it to pay your rent, schedule a lift and more. Just download the Bilt app, link any credit or debit card, then ask the neighborhood concierge. Pretty much anything. Download the Bilt app and join the membership for where you live at joinbilt.com acast that's J-O-I-N-B-I-L-T.com acast there are moments

[Car Advertiser]

that reveal who we are and who we're meant to become. For those born to lead. Such moments call for a vehicle of equal distinction. Dynamic by design, uncompromising in execution, the Range Rover Sport was engineered for those rare individuals who demand the world and possess the conviction to claim it. When your time to lead arrives, you need a vehicle that rises to meet it. The Range Rover Sport Exclusive offers available now. Explore further@range rover.com Shipping, Billing, Admin, Payroll, marketing. You're managing all the things, so why waste time sending important documents the old fashioned way?

[Narrator]

Mail and ship when you want, how you want with stamps.com print postage on

[Car Advertiser]

demand 247 and schedule pickups from your office or home. Save up to 90% with automated rate shopping.

[Narrator]

That's why over 1 million small businesses

[Car Advertiser]

trust stamps.com go to stamps.com and use code podcast to try stamps.com risk free for 60 days. Hey, it's Paige from Giggly Squad. And you know those moments when you just want to slow down and actually treat yourself? That's exactly where Haagen Dazs comes in. I Haagen Dazs just launched a brand new flavor coffee Almond toffee ice cream. It's rich, smooth, creamy, indulgent and honestly too good to rush through. Take your sweet time. That's Daz. Find Haagen Dazs new coffee almond toffee ice cream at retailers nationwide.