Man charged with murder after two women found beheaded in Mobile, Alabama
Thomas Steele, 47, is charged with murder over the deaths of Christy Deloach, 65, and Dora Boone, 85, found decapitated at a Mobile, Alabama home. Steele's mental competency is to be evaluated.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Thomas Steele, 47, was arrested and charged with two counts of murder after Christy Deloach, 65, and Dora Boone, 85, were found dead at their home in Mobile, Alabama, on Monday. New York PostR “Thomas Steele, 47, was arrested and charged with two counts of murder after cops found Christy Deloach, 65, and Dora Boone, 85, headless inside their home in Mobile on Monday” Read at New York Post ↗ MetroLC “Thomas Steele, 47, was arrested and charged with two counts of murder after Christy Deloach, 65, and 85-year-old Dora Boone were found dead at their home in Mobile on Monday.” Read at Metro ↗ Mixed · 2The victims were Steele's aunt and grandmother. Both outlets report that they were decapitated, and that Steele is accused of using a chainsaw. New York PostR “accused of decapitating his grandmother and aunt with a chainsaw” Read at New York Post ↗ MetroLC “it was confirmed that the victims were his aunt and grandmother” Read at Metro ↗ Mixed · 2Hours before the bodies were found, an aunt called 911 at around 11 a.m. Monday. The caller said Steele, who is bipolar, was off lithium and "doing some bizarre things", including giving away a phone and a car. The caller said Steele was "calm" and "not violent or anything", adding "I guess I'll just let it play itself out." New York PostR “He gave away his phone…and giving his car away.” Read at New York Post ↗ MetroLC “So, I guess I’ll just let it play itself out.” Read at Metro ↗
Mixed · 2Police were called to the four-bedroom home about two and a half hours later and found the two women dead. New York PostR “Police were then called to the four-bedroom home roughly two and a half hours later” Read at New York Post ↗ MetroLC “Police were called to the four-bedroom home just two-and-a-half hours after the call was placed” Read at Metro ↗ Mixed · 2Accounts differ on where Steele was found: the New York Post, citing FOX 10, says Steele was allegedly waiting outside, while Metro, citing NBC15, says Steele was detained at the scene. New York PostR “Steele was allegedly waiting outside after the women had been killed and decapitated with a chainsaw” Read at New York Post ↗ MetroLC “with NBC15 reporting that Steele was detained at the scene” Read at Metro ↗ Mixed · 2Steele's mugshot shows a smile, which both outlets highlight. Metro says Steele is held without bond at Mobile County Metro Jail. New York PostR “flashed a toothy grin in his chilling mugshot” Read at New York Post ↗ MetroLC “Steele is being held without bond at Mobile County Metro Jail Alabama” Read at Metro ↗
Mixed · 2At a bond hearing the next day, Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood said investigators believe Steele lived at the home with the victims. Metro reports the hearing was on two counts of capital murder. New York PostR “Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood said at a court hearing Tuesday” Read at New York Post ↗ MetroLC “He appeared in court the following day for a bond hearing on two counts of capital murder” Read at Metro ↗ Left · 1Metro reports that when Steele was told a public defender, Glenn Davidson, was being appointed, Steele reportedly replied "No. Kill him." Steele was escorted out without incident. Davidson said Steele needs a medical evaluation for competency and did not rule out a not guilty by reason of insanity plea. MetroLC “Steele was told he was being appointed a public defender, Glenn Davidson”“He did not rule out the possibility of a not guilty by reason of insanity plea” Read at Metro ↗ Left · 1Blackwood declined to give details beyond the complaint, saying they would emerge in future proceedings, and said evaluations will determine whether Steele is competent to proceed. Steele has not entered a plea. MetroLC “The details of that will come out in future proceedings.”“Steele has not yet entered a plea and remains in custody without bond.” Read at Metro ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Metro, a UK outlet, leads with the smiling mugshot and the alleged chainsaw decapitations, then covers the court hearing, the public defender's remarks and the competency question.
- Emphasis
- Legal process: the 'No. Kill him.' remark, possible insanity plea, competency evaluation and what happens if Steele is found unfit.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the FOX 10 report that Steele was waiting outside.
- Charged language
- “chilling grin”“disturbing grin”“grim discovery”
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- The New York Post leads with the smiling mugshot and the chainsaw killings in tabloid language, then turns to the 911 call made hours earlier.
- Emphasis
- The grisly details, the aunt's 911 call and the court complaint.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not report the public defender, the insanity plea possibility, the competency evaluation or that Steele is held without bond.
- Charged language
- “sicko”“chilling mugshot”“gruesome discovery”
- For example
-
“An Alabama sicko accused of decapitating his grandmother and aunt with a chainsaw flashed a toothy grin in his chilling mugshot.” — New York Post
What every side reports
- Thomas Steele, 47, is charged with two counts of murder over the deaths of Christy Deloach, 65, and Dora Boone, 85.
- The women were found dead at their Mobile, Alabama home on Monday.
- An aunt called 911 beforehand saying Steele was off lithium and acting bizarrely.
- Steele's mugshot shows a smile.
- District Attorney Keith Blackwood said investigators believe Steele lived at the home.
Where accounts differ
-
Where Steele was when police arrived
- Left
- Metro, citing NBC15, says Steele was detained at the scene.
- Right
- The New York Post, citing FOX 10, says Steele was allegedly waiting outside.
Thomas Steele person
Steele has not entered a plea. Steele's public defender says there are signs of mental illness and has not ruled out an insanity plea.
“It was really apparent from the outset that he had mental issues.” — Metro
Mobile, Alabama place
Mobile County prosecutors say details will come out in future proceedings, and competency evaluations are needed.
“The details of that will come out in future proceedings.” — Metro
Left1 article
-
MetroLC ·
Man smiles after arrest for ‘decapitating his grandmother and aunt with chainsaw’
Mixed Leads with the mugshot grin but gives fuller coverage of court proceedings and the mental competency issue.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
Sicko flashes chilling smile after he cut off heads of grandma and aunt with chainsaw: court doc
Alarmist Tabloid-style account that leads with the smiling mugshot and gore, with the 911 call as context.
- 14 Oct 20:40 First New York PostR Sicko flashes chilling smile after he cut off heads of grandma and aunt with chainsaw: court doc
- 15 Oct 14:33 +17h 53m MetroLC Man smiles after arrest for ‘decapitating his grandmother and aunt with chainsaw’
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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