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'I was hearing things': Kentucky school shooter Michael Carneal claims he heard voices encouraging his killing spree

During the hearing, Michael Carneal claimed he still clearly hears those ‘voices in his head' and added that he felt alienated for years
UPDATED SEP 22, 2022
Michael Carneal, 39, was 14 when he killed three students and injured five others in December 1997 (Kentucky Department of Corrections, WDRB/YouTube)
Michael Carneal, 39, was 14 when he killed three students and injured five others in December 1997 (Kentucky Department of Corrections, WDRB/YouTube)

WEST PADUCAH, KENTUCKY: School shooter Michael Carneal, 39, still can’t get rid of those disturbing voices from his head that "led him on a killing rampage." Carneal, aged 14, open-fired on a group at Heath High School in West Paducah, Kentucky, on December 1, 1997. He pleaded guilty in the case involving the killing of three students, Nicole Hadley, 14, Kayce Steger, 15, and Jessica James, 17 and also injuring five others.
 
Carneal is seeking parole and had been in jail serving a life term. During the hearing, the convict said that he still clearly hears those "voices in his head." “I was hearing in my head to do certain things, but I should have known that stealing guns… was going to lead to something terrible," claimed the school shooter.

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Micheal Carneal was arrested from Heath High School after he surrendered himself to the principal
(WDRB, ABC News/Youtube screengrab)
Micheal Carneal was arrested from Heath High School after he surrendered himself to the principal (WDRB, ABC News/YouTube screenshot)

He added, “I was hearing things, and I was extremely hyper suspicious. And I had felt for years, feeling alienated and different and I think that’s when I started to develop mental health problems.” Carneal believes that these factors contributed to the worsening of his mental health. He also claims that it was a voice in his head that instructed him to jump off the stairs, and he continues to hear noises while in jail.
 
Nicole Hadley's parents, Chuck and Gwen were present at the hearing and the latter told the parole officer that Carneal never expressed any remorse for his heinous act. In an interview with CNN, the couple said, “We have missed Nicole’s high school graduation, her college graduation, her wedding, her kids, our grandkids and many birthdays and holidays together.”
 
One of the survivors of the school shooting, Missy Jenkins Smith, talked to The Independent, and said she had "previously considered Carneal to be a friend." “I really liked him. He was a class clown. He always made me laugh,” shared the victim who was left paralyzed from chest down while being hit by a bullet.
 
The parole board chair Ladeidra Jones said on Carneal's mental state, he had "experienced paranoid thoughts" that were linked with violent images. Further, the parole seeker said that he had "learned to put the images at the back of his mind."
 
Carneal during the parole hearing added that he feels he deserves to die but sometimes thinks he can offer something to the world. “I would like to do something in the future that could contribute to society.” he said.

Carneal’s parole case is due on September 26 for consideration, before the court takes a final decision.

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