Former Ford City superintendent charged with killing family member in Texas

Ford City's former superintendent was charged this week with killing his brother-in-law in Texas.

Emil “Larry” Coffey Jr., 64, who filled what was then the borough's top administrative post from 2011 to 2013, is accused of shooting his wife's brother Tuesday evening during an argument at the home owned by the slain man outside of Austin, according to a criminal complaint.

Paramedics were unable to save Warren Clark Neil, 62, who died of a gunshot wound to the back, detectives said in the complaint. Coffey was charged with murder and is in Travis County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bond.

Coffey and his wife lived in a house owned by Neil and his wife, Vanessa, who told detectives the argument before the shooting was related to her and her husband trying to evict the Coffeys.

Coffey's wife, Enid, said in a phone call from her home in Texas that she believed her sister-in-law was trying to sabotage plans to sell land to the couple.

“He just could not handle the situation with her being that way,” she said. “I think my husband totally, totally, just lost it. I think he shot my brother to wound him, not to kill him.”

Coffey told detectives that he did not remember where he aimed when he fired his gun, according to the criminal complaint. He told police that he shot in the direction of Neil and his son, Robert, 35, after getting the gun from the house, the complaint said. The son was not hit by any of the shots.

Ford City hired Coffey as its first superintendent to oversee borough departments, operations and projects in 2011. He and his wife had moved to Armstrong County in 2001 to be closer to her son who lived in Butler, Enid Coffey said. She said that after their East Franklin home burned down in 2013, she and her husband decided to move to Texas, where both had family members.

“He made a lot of friends in the two years that he was here,” former Ford City Councilman Lou Vergari said. “That's why a lot of people are going to be distraught over this.”

Former Ford City Council President John Lux said he was taken aback when he heard about the charges against Coffey, whom he said he worked closely with during his time with the borough.

“That shocks me to no end,” Lux said. “I had daily meetings with him. I'd never expect something like this.”

Julie E. Martin is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-543-1303, ext. 1315 or jmartin@tribweb.com.