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Left: Kenneth Farler III (Montgomery County Jail). Right: Kendra Farler (Schlientz & Moore Funeral Home).
An Ohio man who fatally shot his 15-year-old daughter and then tried to pin it on his nonverbal stepson with autism has pleaded guilty.
Kenneth Paul Farler III, aged 39, admitted to involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, child endangerment, and multiple other firearm-related offenses tied to his prior felony history. His sentencing is scheduled for May 14.
On April 14, 2024, during the afternoon, Dayton police were alerted to a shooting incident at an apartment located in the 400 block of Bowen Street. Upon arriving, first responders discovered 15-year-old Kendra Farler with a shotgun injury to her chest.
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In a 911 call obtained by Dayton CBS affiliate WHIO, Farler allegedly told a dispatcher his stepson accidentally fired the gun.
During the emergency call, Farler stated, “My stepson is autistic; it was an accident, ma’am,” and reiterated, “He’s autistic,” emphasizing that the boy wasn’t aware of his actions.
Dayton police Maj. Brian Johns told the Dayton Daily News that after further investigation and interviews, the claims made by Farler on the initial 911 call were determined to be false.
“The young lady was shot and killed by her father inside the Bowen Street address,” Johns told the outlet. “To say it was a tragedy is an understatement.”
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Johns made it clear that investigators believe the shooting was intentional.
“I would say it’s not an accident,” he added. “Our victim was asking him to not point the shotgun at her prior to her death. That’s not an accident.”
In another 911 call, a bystander reportedly told a dispatcher he was in his car when he heard a gunshot and heard, “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.”
“She’s a kid,” the caller said. “I just heard a gunshot and heard them scream.”
Nancy Ledbetter, a neighbor, told WHIO she was shocked when she heard the gunfire.
“I kind of was, you know, wondering what was going on, so I started to walk over there, and right across the street at the corner, there was a lady, and I asked her, ‘Do you happen to know what’s going on?’ She says my granddaughter was shot,” Ledbetter told the station.
The Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office indicted Farler about a week after the fatal incident. Prosecuting attorney Mat Heck noted that Farler had been convicted of trafficking in cocaine less than a month before the shooting.
“He has been arrested approximately 40 times over the past 20 years and has previously been sentenced to the penitentiary,” Heck said at the time of the indictment. “This defendant should never be allowed anywhere near a firearm and deserves to be in prison. A completely innocent 15-year-old girl has lost her life at the hands of her father.”
Kendra’s family called her “our shining little star” in her obituary.
“Kendra was the heart and soul of our family, embodying a spirit full of joy, curiosity, and creativity,” the obituary reads. “As a student, she was not just a learner, but a tiny professor, always eager to share her newfound knowledge and discoveries. Her laughter was infectious, her energy boundless, and her kindness a beacon of warmth to everyone around her.”
