Police probe three deaths

David Kihara

Monday, June 13, 2005 | 11:02 a.m.

The 45-year-old man who allegedly shot to death his 10-year-old daughter and 72-year-old mother before turning the gun on himself was described by neighbors as a friendly family man who had been out of work for more than two years.

Metro Police discovered the bodies of Tom Irwin, his daughter, Nelbeth, and his mother, Mary, at their home in the 4500 block of Berkley Avenue on Friday.

Irwin's ex-wife reported the family missing on Thursday, and the next day Metro detectives from the Missing Persons Detail went to the home and discovered the bodies.

Metro detectives were still investigating the killings this weekend and were unclear of the motive at that time, said Metro Lt. Tom Monahan.

Metro Sgt. Rocky Alby, who was at the scene of the shootings on Friday, said the daughter left a message on her mother's telephone answering machine on Monday, leading police to believe Irwin killed the victims on Monday or Tuesday.

Irwin did not leave a suicide note, Alby said.

The bodies were found in separate rooms of the house and it appeared that Irwin shot the victims and himself within the same time period, Alby said.

Irwin's neighbors were surprised and upset by the deaths and described Irwin as an attentive father who often watched out for the neighborhood children playing on the street.

John and Heather Dase live across the street from the Irwin home and their daughter Shyanne, 10, attended William K. Moore Elementary school with Nelbeth until last year. The girls remained friends. The Dases said they socialized with Irwin at the children's birthday parties.

"He was always in good spirits," said John Dase, who lives across the street from the Irwin home.

Dase said that Irwin, a former cement truck driver, had been unemployed for at least two years. Irwin had told Dase that he had been injured in a vehicle accident with an off-duty Metro officer who was allegedly driving under the influence, Dase said.

That story could not be confirmed with Metro Police this morning.

Irwin's injuries, while not debilitating, reportedly kept Irwin from working, Dase said. But Dase said that he never noticed that Irwin was depressed over his situation.

Last year, Nelbeth Irwin transferred to Elbert Edwards Elementary School, so the Dase family hadn't as much contact with Irwin as in previous years, Dase and his wife said.

They didn't think it suspicious that they hadn't seen Irwin all week because Irwin and the family took a month-long trip to Florida last year in June after the school year ended.

"For something like this to happen to such nice people -- it's rough," said Heather Dase.