The Long Island man allegedly shot and killed alongside his girlfriend by her jealous ex-husband was honored at his funeral on Tuesday, remembered as a devoted father, sports enthusiast, and a man who died protecting the woman he loved.
Hundreds of mourners gathered at St. Elizabeth’s Church in Melville to pay their respects to 53-year-old Kenneth Pohlman, who was tragically murdered last Wednesday. Pohlman and his girlfriend, Kelly Coppola, were gunned down in their St. James home just before midnight by Kelly’s ex-husband, Daniel Coppola, told the New York Post.
“Kenny, I have written you three poems before / each one was a poem of joy,” Pohlman’s grieving mother, Dorothy, said in her heart-wrenching eulogy. “This one has a different twist / How do I say goodbye to my first baby boy?”
Through tears, she continued, “You were so proud of all your children / when you spoke of them / you would beam / now, by the hand of a monster, you were taken / all I want to do is scream.”
Pohlman was a loving father of three, known for his passion for sports. He met his childhood sweetheart, Kim, when his family moved to Brentwood, and the two had two children, Brianna and Tyler. After Kim’s death from cancer in 2006, Pohlman continued to care for his family, even welcoming another daughter in 2009 from a later relationship. But it wasn’t until he met Kelly that he found true happiness again, his father, Kenneth Sr., shared.
“They were soulmates,” his father said. “People kept calling them boyfriend and girlfriend. They weren’t boyfriend and girlfriend… they were in love.”
In an emotional tribute, Kenneth Sr. remembered his son as a hero. “His last act in his life was selfless, trying to protect the woman he loved… my son was a hero.”
The violent double murder has shaken the quiet town of St. James, known for its tight-knit community. According to authorities, Daniel Coppola broke into the couple’s home and shot them while they were in a state of undress. Assistant District Attorney Eric Aboulafia revealed in court that Coppola used a semiautomatic handgun to kill the couple, then fled after telling his terrified daughter that he had just murdered them.
Coppola was arrested at his own home and later admitted to the killings. He is currently being held without bail and has undergone a mental health evaluation after speaking of suicide. Family members described him as abusive and a “maniac” toward his ex-wife.
Kelly’s father, John Patton, expressed the deep sorrow his family feels. “The joy radiated around her, she was smiling all the time… I just can’t get over this.”
As Pohlman’s family mourns, his brother, Tom, fondly recalled their sibling bond and the lighthearted teasing they shared. “When we did see each other, I would often ask Kenny what was wrong – why hadn’t he been going to the gym?” Tom said, smiling through tears. “Meanwhile, he’d been going to the gym seven days a week.”