Michael Kelley Texas Shooter Devin Kelley’s Father

Michael Kelley

Michael Kelley is the father of deceased shooter, Devin Kelley –his 26-year-old son Devin P. Kelley entered a rural Texas church with a military-style rifle, killing at least 26 people on Sunday.

As authorities try to understand what exactly drew Michael Kelley’s son to carry the worst mass shooting in Texas history at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Tex. –his troubled life begins to emerge.

Michael’s son Devin, attended New Braunfels High School and graduated in 2009. He then enlisted in the Air Force –where he served as a low-ranking airman in a logistics readiness unit. A LinkedIn account in his name says he worked in cargo and distribution before his court-martial.

According to reports, it was in 2012, while stationed at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, Mr. Kelley was charged with assault, according to Air Force records, which said he had repeatedly struck, kicked and choked his first wife beginning just months into their marriage, and hit his stepson’s head with what the Air Force described as “a force likely to produce death or grievous bodily harm.”

His first wife, Tessa Kelley, divorced him and Kelley was forced out of the military with a bad conduct discharge. The account says that after the military, Mr. Kelley briefly worked as an aide at a youth Bible school in Kingsville, Tex., “helping their minds grow and prosper.”

Devin moved into a barn at his parents’ house, which they had converted into an apartment, according to the local sheriff’s office records. During the next two years, he was investigated twice for abusing women.

He was finally discharged from the Air Force in 2014. The same year he married his second wife, Danielle Shields. The couple moved to Colorado Springs. While in Colorado and Texas, Mr. Kelley purchased a number of guns at gun stores and was also charged with animal cruelty at one point. He never held a job out of the military.

It is believed, following his discharge, Kelley began a long downward slide that ended with him killing 26 people in the shooting Sunday.

Michael Kelley, a computer programmer and accountant, recently spoke about his son saying ‘they are grieving.’ He told ABC News

“We are grieving, our family is grieving,” “I don’t want our lives, our grandchildren’s lives, destroyed by this media circus.”

Michael Kelley –who lives just 35 miles away from Sutherland Springs –declined to speak any further. His son died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after he was chased by bystanders and crashed his car.

Michael Kelley and his wife lived a comfortable, upper-middle-class life –the couple welcomed three children of whom Devin, was the middle child. Michael ran a software company that specializes in billings.