A 14-year-old boy has been taken into custody on suspicion of shooting his mother in the back of the head after discovering she had stolen a tablet from a customer.
Havok Leone is facing first-degree murder charges and will be tried as an adult for the death of his 41-year-old mother, Teresa McIntosh, at their home in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on March 7, as reported by Wyoming Tribune Eagle.
Initially, McIntosh’s death was considered a suicide. However, after further investigation raised doubts, Leone eventually confessed to shooting her with his own gun following an argument over the theft of the device, according to documentation from the court.
Leone reportedly mentioned that his mother had pressured him to do things he didn’t want to do multiple times in the past and even admitted to contemplating killing her.
The boy, who had a history of stealing electronics, eavesdropped on his parents arguing about the theft.
McIntosh had called him derogatory names, saying he was “retarded” and “a thief,” which clearly upset him.
On the day of the shooting, around 11:30 a.m., McIntosh instructed Leone to complete her homework while she worked on a puzzle in her room.
Leone stated that an argument erupted over the tablet, leading McIntosh to demand a password from a notebook. He threw the notebook into her room in frustration.
Afterward, Leone went to retrieve a gun he had hidden away. Court documents indicate he shot his mother in the back of the head while she bent down to pick up the notebook.
Leone’s father, who was playing video games in the basement, recalled hearing a “pop” about 15 minutes later but thought it was simply a balloon bursting due to his noise-canceling headphones.
Upon checking the main floor an hour later, he found his son outside his room. Leone claimed he didn’t know what had happened and said the gun “just fired,” according to a report from a Laramie County sheriff’s affidavit.
Leone’s father attempted to administer first aid to McIntosh, but she was unresponsive and he promptly called 911.
A 9mm Taurus handgun, typically found in McIntosh’s car, was discovered near her body. The father expressed confusion because the weapon had a loaded magazine but no bullets, based on court documents.
The boy initially said his mother had given him the gun, but later confessed to stealing it following a fight about his math grade.
According to the Tribune, Leone’s father remarked to police that his son was knowledgeable about handling guns, emphasizing, “He knows not to point a firearm at someone unless he intends to shoot them.”
McIntosh was rushed to a regional medical center before being airlifted to UC Health Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado, where she later died from her injuries.
Hospital staff determined that the gunshot wound on McIntosh’s neck did not align with a suicide attempt, as it did not exhibit the characteristics typical of self-inflicted wounds.
The grieving father expressed his distress, saying, “I don’t want to think about what I think happened… It’s easier to believe she committed suicide than to accept that her son tried to kill her.”
Leone’s bond has been set at $500,000, according to local reports.
