GUILTY LA - David, 56, & Nicholas Pence, 25, murdered in their Metairie home, 22 April 2015

[Tillicum]

This says they were in the living room. http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2015/04/david_nicholas_pence_metairie.html#incart_most-readnews

Elizabeth Pence, David's wife and Nicholas's mother, discovered the men lying wounded in the living room of their home in the 3700 block of Clifford Drive in Metairie, and called 911 at about 11:53 p.m., authorities said.

 

[sonjay]

This appears to be a very tight group. I keep thinking that it will be someone who felt excluded from the group, or who felt mocked within the group. To me the fact that it happened in the mancave is telling.

The various news articles all say that it happened in the living room.

Prior to the shooting, the adult son and friends were hanging out in the mancave. The friends left. Presumably the younger Pence went into the house when his friends left. Then, the shooting happened, inside the house.

The other friend -- the one who went back for his inhaler -- has still not been named publicly. Is he a POI? A suspect? Perhaps he did see something, but LE want to keep that confidential. I certainly hope that he has been willing to talk to police, even if we the public aren't allowed to know who he is or what he has to say.

No information so far about how many friends were hanging out in the mancave that evening. Were any other friends there that evening besides Chris Meyer and the inhaler friend? If so, did all of them leave at the same time?

How far does CM live from the Pences? Walking distance, it sounds like. Did CM and the inhaler friend walk home? Is it a 20-second walk or a 5-minute walk? Or did they drive? If so, whose car were they using?

And not a single neighbor heard the shotgun blasts? The pictures, and Google street view, show all the houses pretty close to each other. It's really hard to believe nobody heard the shotgun blasts other than the wife.

The 25-year-old son and his friends hang out in the garage behind the house and play Monopoly. They don't exactly sound like the sort who would be mixed up with killers. Nor do the parents. And yet it would be so very unusual and odd for this to be a totally random thing.

Very odd.

 

[Tillicum]

The various news articles all say that it happened in the living room.

Prior to the shooting, the adult son and friends were hanging out in the mancave. The friends left. Presumably the younger Pence went into the house when his friends left. Then, the shooting happened, inside the house.

The other friend -- the one who went back for his inhaler -- has still not been named publicly. Is he a POI? A suspect? Perhaps he did see something, but LE want to keep that confidential. I certainly hope that he has been willing to talk to police, even if we the public aren't allowed to know who he is or what he has to say.

No information so far about how many friends were hanging out in the mancave that evening. Were any other friends there that evening besides Chris Meyer and the inhaler friend? If so, did all of them leave at the same time?

How far does CM live from the Pences? Walking distance, it sounds like. Did CM and the inhaler friend walk home? Is it a 20-second walk or a 5-minute walk? Or did they drive? If so, whose car were they using?

And not a single neighbor heard the shotgun blasts? The pictures, and Google street view, show all the houses pretty close to each other. It's really hard to believe nobody heard the shotgun blasts other than the wife.

The 25-year-old son and his friends hang out in the garage behind the house and play Monopoly. They don't exactly sound like the sort who would be mixed up with killers. Nor do the parents. And yet it would be so very unusual and odd for this to be a totally random thing.

Very odd.

I think I read they live two blocks away. I'll try to find it.

Even if the perp could shoot and get out of the house within a minute or two, they still had to walk up to the door and walk away from the door afterwards. And no one saw him/her?

 

[katydid23]

Metairie crime rates and statistics - NeighborhoodScout
www.neighborhoodscout.com › LA › Metairie Real Estate
Relative to Louisiana, Metairie has a crime rate that is higher than 76% of the state's cities and towns of all sizes. Importantly, when you compare Metairie to other communities of similar population, then Metairie crime rate (violent and property crimes combined) is quite a bit higher than average.

 

[Tillicum]

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2015/04/david_nicholas_pence_metairie.html

Chris Meyer gathered Thursday afternoon with other friends of Nicholas Pence to support each other as they tried to understand his murder. The two first met at the age of 10 during a birthday party at Zephyr Stadium. They became fast friends once they realized they only lived a few blocks from one another.

 

[mysteriew]

This says they were in the living room. http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2015/04/david_nicholas_pence_metairie.html#incart_most-readnews

When I thought it was in the mancave I kinda understood why the mother didn't make it there. But if it was in the house that question comes up again.

Even if you are in a dead sleep, that shotgun is loud. Even if you don't recognize that it is a gunshot right away you are going to at a run looking to see what was wrong.

 

[al66pine]

No offense intended because this is probably just me. But......
It keeps sticking in my mind that Nicholas was 25. He lived at home, worked in Dad's store and they hung out together too. A lot. His friends appear to have been friends from grammer and high school. Much like you would hope for in a 16 yo's life. But he was 25.
Secondly one long time friend he worked with, and they hung out together too. That much togetherness can put stress on a marriage. What would it do to a friendship?
How about employees or former employees? If Dad and son worked together and so did longtime friend, anyone else who worked with them could have felt excluded or even resentful.

bbm

No offense taken.
Yes, 25 y/o still living at home may well be overstaying welcome. Seems likely. Or not, IDK.

In reading initial articles, I thought Nick & Nick's dad, Mr P, worked together; but now IDTS.
IIUC, Nick P. works w long-time friend, Chris Meyer, who is employed at Meyer the Hatter, a bus. owned by Chris Meyer's family. Not sure it that has any meaning or effect (or I may be wrong).

Inhaler.
Where was inhaler, when friend retrieved it?
The group spent evening in mancave, so seems likely he went there to retrieve.
If Nick & Mr P had already left mancave & returned inside home, wouldn't they have locked mancave? If they did that, would they take inhaler w them, anticipating him to retrieve?
Did friend go to mancave, find it locked, then go to side door? Or go to side door initially?
Am I confused about ^ sequence?
Thx in adv.

 

[katydid23]

I am not sure that a 25 yr old, that was working in the family business, was overstaying his welcome in the family home. Seems like there was an empty bedroom. And I bet being a sales man in a hat store was not all that lucrative. It kept money coming in for the family business but probably not a big enough salary for the 25 yr old to live well on his own. It made more sense financially for the family to house him, imo.

 

[Queen Bee]

I am not sure that a 25 yr old, that was working in the family business, was overstaying his welcome in the family home. Seems like there was an empty bedroom. And I bet being a sales man in a hat store was not all that lucrative. It kept money coming in for the family business but probably not a big enough salary for the 25 yr old to live well on his own. It made more sense financially for the family to house him, imo.

the 25 year old was not working in a family business.....he was working with family friend chris meyer....chris's father is the one who owns meyer hatter where nicholas worked.....nicholas's father who was killed worked in the I.T. field...stories upthread talked with his IT college friend....

hope that's clear as mud :seeya:

 

[katydid23]

the 25 year old was not working in a family business.....he was working with family friend chris meyer....chris's father is the one who owns meyer hatter where nicholas worked.....nicholas's father who was killed worked in the I.T. field...stories upthread talked with his IT college friend....

hope that's clear as mud :seeya:

OOPs. It is clear as mud now, thanks. :wink:

 

[Tillicum]

LE said it was an "isolated incident" http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2015/04/jpso_investigating_possible_do.html

Fortunato called the shooting an "isolated incident," and said there were no signs of forced entry into the house. He said it was "too soon" to determine whether anything had been stolen from the home.

And the suspect or suspects may have known one or both of the victims http://wgno.com/2015/04/23/police-search-for-motive-in-rare-shotgun-double-murder-in-metairie/

Investigators say the killer may have walked in through an unlocked side door, and they are leaning toward the possibility that the suspect or suspects may have known either or both of the victims.

JMO but I don't think this was random.

 

[bessie]

Metairie crime rates and statistics - NeighborhoodScout
www.neighborhoodscout.com › LA › Metairie Real Estate
Relative to Louisiana, Metairie has a crime rate that is higher than 76% of the state's cities and towns of all sizes. Importantly, when you compare Metairie to other communities of similar population, then Metairie crime rate (violent and property crimes combined) is quite a bit higher than average.

Anything is possible, but I happen to be very familiar with this neighborhood, and I would be shocked to learn this was a random home invasion.

 

[Queen Bee]

i agree with bessie and tillicum.........i have a feeling this is someone known to the family......a poster upthread mentioned maybe an acquaintance was feeling out of the circle so to speak and i agree........i think this might be closer than anyone suspects.......maybe even the <self snip> by proxy but thinking more an acquaintance of the family.....

i just don't suspect the wife nor do i see this being random, at this time......

but what do i know.....i'm just a bee

 

[bessie]

David was an IT guy at Baker Hughes. Son, Nicholas worked at Meyer The Hatter in the Quarter.

The store actually is on St. Charles Ave at the corner of Canal, across Canal from the FQ. It's a large, very well known men's hat store. They carry a selection of women's hats, too. My husband purchases all of his hats from MTH, as did my grandfather, and all of the musician's I know in the city. I've no reason to believe the store will play into the murders, but this will give you a little idea of the type of neighborhood where the owner resides.

 

[Tillicum]

i agree with bessie and tillicum.........i have a feeling this is someone known to the family......a poster upthread mentioned maybe an acquaintance was feeling out of the circle so to speak and i agree........i think this might be closer than anyone suspects.......maybe even the daughter by proxy but thinking more an acquaintance of the family.....

i just don't suspect the wife nor do i see this being random, at this time......

but what do i know.....i'm just a bee

I'm thinking jealousy is involved, out of 3 possible scenarios.

 

[Tillicum]

The store actually is on St. Charles Ave at the corner of Canal, across Canal from the FQ. It's a large, very well known men's hat store. They carry a selection of women's hats, too. My husband purchases all of his hats from MTH, as did my grandfather, and all of the musician's I know in the city. I've no reason to believe the store will play into the murders, but this will give you a little idea of the type of neighborhood where the owner resides.

bessie do you know if Chris worked at the store too?

 

[Queen Bee]

The store actually is on St. Charles Ave at the corner of Canal, across Canal from the FQ. It's a large, very well known men's hat store. They carry a selection of women's hats, too. My husband purchases all of his hats from MTH, as did my grandfather, and all of the musician's I know in the city. I've no reason to believe the store will play into the murders, but this will give you a little idea of the type of neighborhood where the owner resides.

mr. bee and i have both purchased hats there and did so on our last trip to new orleans.....i recognized the name and pics immediately! it's rather well known even to us out of towner types.....

 

[mysteriew]

I am not sure that a 25 yr old, that was working in the family business, was overstaying his welcome in the family home. Seems like there was an empty bedroom. And I bet being a sales man in a hat store was not all that lucrative. It kept money coming in for the family business but probably not a big enough salary for the 25 yr old to live well on his own. It made more sense financially for the family to house him, imo.

It's not so much because he lived at home. That happens, sometimes due to finical reasons and sometimes due to convenience.

It is more total togetherness. They lived together, they hung around together, they did sporting events together. I'm more familar with the 25 year olds that a separate group of friend's and prefer to hang with them on their own. Parents know the friends usually but don't hang with them that often. They may have some friends from school, but have started adding new friends that they met in adult life.

I was confused about whose family owned the hat store though.

 

[bessie]

bessie do you know if Chris worked at the store too?

I have no idea, though I'd think it's a fair possibility, since ownership has passed on through three generations, and he is the current owner's son.

 

[Sweetgrits]

bbm

No offense taken.
Yes, 25 y/o still living at home may well be overstaying welcome. Seems likely. Or not, IDK.

In reading initial articles, I thought Nick & Nick's dad, Mr P, worked together; but now IDTS.
IIUC, Nick P. works w long-time friend, Chris Meyer, who is employed at Meyer the Hatter, a bus. owned by Chris Meyer's family. Not sure it that has any meaning or effect (or I may be wrong).

Inhaler.
Where was inhaler, when friend retrieved it?
The group spent evening in mancave, so seems likely he went there to retrieve.
If Nick & Mr P had already left mancave & returned inside home, wouldn't they have locked mancave? If they did that, would they take inhaler w them, anticipating him to retrieve?
Did friend go to mancave, find it locked, then go to side door? Or go to side door initially?
Am I confused about ^ sequence?
Thx in adv.

bbm

If the friend with the inhaler used it while playing Monopoly and returned to get it afterwards makes me think he frequently needed the inhaler. But if he did use it fairly regularly it would seem to me he would keep it in his pocket. Also, if he needed the treatment often wouldn't he have had back up inhalers at home, so why would he need to make a trip back to the Pence home that night rather than waiting until the next morning. If this homicide did happen in this narrow window of time I just can't wrap my head around this friend not seeing or hearing anything strange. Of course, JMO