In the quiet community of Gardendale, Alabama, a carefully planned ambush shattered the morning calm on July 12, 2017, leaving three family members dead. Among the victims was 69-year-old Don Austin Foshee, a male resident of Fultondale. He was killed alongside his wife of 45 years, 65-year-old Bonnie Reeves Foshee, and her sister, 50-year-old Dana Reeves Lever.
The family was reportedly preparing to leave for a trip to Chicago to attend the graduation of Dana's son from Navy boot camp when the attack occurred.
The suspect in the triple homicide was identified as 52-year-old Kenneth Dion Lever, Dana's ex-husband. According to police, Lever had concealed himself in a shed on Dana's property. As the family was getting ready to depart, he emerged and opened fire. The attack was witnessed by the 11-year-old daughter of Dana and Kenneth Lever, who managed to escape to a neighbor's house unharmed. Following the shooting, Lever fled the scene in one of the victim's vehicles before switching to his own car, which he had parked nearby.
Authorities quickly identified Kenneth Lever as the suspect and initiated a manhunt. It was discovered that Dana Lever had previously sought a protective order against her ex-husband, citing harassment and stalking. Eight hours after the murders, as law enforcement closed in, Kenneth Lever was located in a parking lot in Escambia County, Florida. As deputies approached, he took his own life. Further investigation revealed that Lever was also facing trial in Pennsylvania on child sexual assault charges.
