47-Year-Old Accused of Killing Relatives With Chainsaw After 911 Call
A transcript reveals a family member reported the suspect had stopped taking lithium and was giving away possessions weeks before the double homicide in Mobile, Alabama.
By Nathaniel Hayes ·
Thomas Steele, 47, faces two counts of capital murder for the Oct. 12 killings of his aunt, Christy DeLoach, and his grandmother, Dora Boone, inside their Mobile home on Carolina Court. Investigators report that Steele used a chainsaw during the incident. He has been taken to the Alabama Department of Mental Health for an emergency evaluation while the case proceeds.
A transcript of a 911 call made before the killings, first obtained by FOX10 News, offers a snapshot of the family’s concerns. One victim called the dispatcher to describe her nephew’s behavior. She stated that Steele had bipolar disorder and had stopped taking his lithium medication. The caller noted that he had given away his phone and car and was engaging in unusual behavior. She specifically told the dispatcher, "It’s in his mind. He’s following God."
The caller expressed uncertainty about how to proceed. When asked if Steele was being harmful, she replied, "I just needed to figure out what to do. I called 988 and tried to talk to him. He’s calm! He’s not violent or anything. So, I guess I’ll just let it play itself out." The dispatcher provided the police department’s number, and the call ended without a transfer or immediate dispatch.
The Mobile County Communications District director told FOX10 News that the dispatcher made an incorrect judgment call. He said the agent should have transferred the caller rather than simply providing a phone number. The dispatcher now faces disciplinary action and additional training.
Lipi Roy, an internal medicine doctor board certified in addiction medicine, explained the medical context. She noted that lithium is used to stabilize mood in patients with bipolar disorder and is typically taken indefinitely. Roy said that stopping the medication abruptly can cause blood levels to drop dramatically within days to weeks, potentially leading to the return of mania or depression. She added that while patients are often not violent even off medication, the sudden cessation of treatment creates a window for rapid symptom recurrence.
Jennifer Strayer, the Alabama state director for the National Shattering Silence Coalition, said the incident illustrates a systemic failure. She identified four clear warning signs in the 911 call: a diagnosed mental illness, missed medication, the giving away of possessions, and the reported bizarre behavior. Strayer argued that the current system responds only after tragedies occur. The coalition is asking state Rep. Parker Moore to sponsor a bill that would create a 72-hour alert to coordinate 911, EMS, law enforcement, and the 988 crisis line during psychiatric emergencies.
Strayer said the coalition is pushing for more training and education to address these gaps nationwide. She stated that the group is no longer staying silent about the need for better intervention protocols for people living with severe mental illness.
