Police and Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies responded around 10:15 p.m. Sunday to the Fieldstone Drive house. When they arrived, they found 34-year-old Melissa Hensley dead. Her 8-year-old son, Nolan Combs, was taken to Dayton Children’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
“At this time in the investigation it does appear to be a very sad murder-suicide,” Johns said. “It appears the mother shot her 8-year-old son, killed them, then took her own life.”
Hensley’s older son also was home during the shooting and ran to get help.
“He heard the shot and the screaming and tried to intervene and stop the violence, but was unable to do so,” Johns said. “Mom fired a shot at him, and he left the residence and notified police.”
Combs was in the custody of his mother for six months before the shooting, according to Montgomery County Juvenile Court documents obtained by the Dayton Daily News. Prior to then, he was in the custody of an aunt, the documents say.
A Montgomery County Department of Job and Family Services spokesperson said that Ohio law prevents the county’s children services department from confirming whether a case was active with the family.
“This shooting is tragic and our thoughts are with the family at this time,” said Reba Chenoweth, human services public information officer. She encouraged anyone who may be impacted to contact the Montgomery County Crisis Call Center at 833-580-2255 for additional support.
Preliminary autopsy reports from the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office show that Hensley and Combs died of gunshot wounds from a .38-caliber revolver.
Combs reportedly had gunshot wounds to his chest and left flank. Hensley had a “close-range gunshot wound to the chest,” according to the report.
Combs’ family described him as a happy child who loved his family, friends and chicken nuggets with ranch dressing.
“If he didn’t know you, he was the shyest boy,” said Kristina Roberson, Combs’ aunt. “But if he knew you, he was a whole other Nolan … he was a spitfire.”
His grandmother, Annie Hensley, said he loved the Child’s Play franchise and wore a Chucky Halloween costume almost every day for a year.
“He was an angel,” she said. “He smiled with his eyes.”
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